


Between

by Donatellosgirl36



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-13 01:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 31,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9100234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Donatellosgirl36/pseuds/Donatellosgirl36
Summary: An accident in Donnie's lab, causes Raph to be caught between dimensions. They think he's dead and he must convince them otherwise. Quickly too, as there is something else lurking there in the in-between.





	1. Misplaced

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em. Just love to tell their stories.

Raphael knocked at the open metal frame that acted as a lab door. “Hey, Donnie, ya busy?”

Donatello looked up from what he was working on, sliding the welding goggles onto his forehead and shutting off his torch. “Actually, yes. Is it something important?”

“Well, uh, I dunno. Leo’s tryin’ to fix the toaster _again_. Does that count as important?”

“What!” Donnie tossed the torch aside and dashed past Raph, who chuckled.

“I guess so.” He started to follow his brother, but something caught his eye. He moved towards the desk Don had been leaning over a moment earlier. A small metal triangular device flashed a set of blue lights. The lights were dim as if not at full power. A part of the casing was missing and an electrical wire was hooked into the side of it.

For some reason, it looked familiar. He picked it up to examine it further. It looked like Triceraton technology. “What’s Don doin’ with this?” At that moment, the lights flickered and Raph felt a shock run through his body. It was such a sharp jolt it shot him across the room. He rubbed his head. “Mm, what the shell was that?” He looked up to see the device smoldering. “Don’s gonna kill me!”

“Leo, what were you thinking! Forks do not go in toasters!” Donnie carried in the blackened piece of kitchen equipment.

“I was just trying to get my toast out.” Leo trotted behind him, waving his hands in a pleading motion. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Mikey stuck his head in the lab door with a wide grin. “Just like the last dozen toasters.”

Donnie’s attention was no longer on his brothers though. “Oh, no! What happened here?” He moved to the charred piece of Triceraton technology.

Raph stood up, rubbing the back of his head nervously. “Uh, sorry, Donnie. I guess I did somethin’ to it.”

Leo shrugged. “I was in the kitchen with you.”

Mikey stepped fully into view as Don and Leo looked at him. “I swear, it wasn’t me, bro. I was watching TV.”

Raph frowned. “Didn’t you guys hear me? I said it was my fault.”

Donnie rolled his eyes. “Raph…”

“What about him?” Leo folded his arms.

“I left him in here. He came to tell me you were fixing the toaster.” He looked around. “Where’d he go anyways?”

Mikey’s brow furrowed. “Now that you mention it, I did see him walk in here. But I didn’t see him leave. And I was sitting over there the whole time.” Mikey pointed at the couch that had a clear view of Donatello’s lab area.

“What do ya mean ya didn’t see me leave? Of course, ya didn’t, ‘cause I’m standin’ right here!” Raph half growled.

“He probably just snuck past you, Mikey. Especially, if he did break Don’s new toy.” Leo suspected Mikey wasn’t paying that much attention.

“It’s not a toy!” Don clipped.

“No way! I’m telling you, I would have noticed. I was sitting over there and when the lights flickered I looked this way. There was a flash of light and a funny noise, but I never saw Raph come out of here.”

“Haha, very funny wise guy.” Raph went to grab Mikey, but somehow didn’t make contact. “This is so not funny, guys.”

Don frowned at his younger brother. “What kind of noise?”

Mikey shrugged. “I dunno, some kind of high pitched whine.”

The genius’s eyes widened. “Uh, oh. It sounds like that power surge activated this.”

Leo went tense all over, his eyes narrowed. “What exactly is that, Donnie?”

“It’s piece of Triceraton tech. I scavenged out of one of their labs from that fallen ship we were in. I believe it is a type of transporter device. I was examining it.” He turned the half-melted piece of hardware over his gloved hands. “I was keeping it on a kind of standby mode, so I could test it without actually triggering a transport.”

Leo felt his heart race. “Do you think Raph messed with it?”

A touch of fear flickered in Donnie’s eyes. “It has definitely been moved.”

“I’ll go ask him?” Leo started to leave and Raph grabbed for his arm.

“But I’m right here!” Raph gasped as his hand passed through his brother’s arm.

Mikey started to protest, but decided against it when he saw Leo’s slightly worried expression. _Maybe he did slip past me._ He really hoped he had. He frowned, feeling a chill race up his spine.

“Alright, you guys are startin’ to scare me a little. If this is some kinda joke, I ain’t laughin’.” Raph waved a hand in front of Mikey’s face. “Come on, numbskull. Look at me!”

When Mikey didn’t even flinch, Raph turned to Don. He got right up in his face. “Donnie, please. I’m sorry. Don’t give me the silent treatment, bro.” Again, he waved a hand within centimeters of his brother’s beak. “Can you hear me, Donnie? Just look at me! I’m right here!” Not even the slightest reaction. Donnie just kept staring at the device, his gaze distant and troubled.

After several minutes, Leo returned. “I can’t find him anywhere.” There was obvious fear in Leo’s expression now.

“What is going on, my sons?” Splinter had sensed there was something amiss and came to investigate.

Relief washed over Raph. If this really was a sick joke that had gone on way too long, Splinter would not play along. The turtle hurried over. “Master Splinter! You can see me, can’t ya?”

But Splinter looked right through Raphael at Leonardo. The leader frowned. “I can’t find Raph. He was here a few minutes ago, and now he’s just gone.” A thought struck him. “Donnie, check the security system. If he left the lair, then he’d be on the recording.”

Donnie nodded and moved to his computer, but his troubled countenance never changed. He rolled back the footage for the past ten minutes and shook his head. “No. Nothing. He didn’t leave the lair.” He said, though there was no need as everyone had been watching over his shoulder.

Mikey felt his stomach bottom out. “But if he didn’t leave the lair and he’s not anywhere inside the lair? Where is he?”

Donnie cleared his throat as he looked at the device again. “I’m not entirely certain, Mikey. I had this thing half pulled apart. There’s a number of things that could have happened. It could have transported him across the world or across the galaxy. Or it could have thrown him into a dimensional void. Or… it could have…” His voice broke off.

Leo took a step forward. “It could have what?”

Donnie swallowed hard. “Demolecularized him.”

Mikey gasped. “You mean it could have disintegrated him?”

Don gave the smallest of nods. Leo balled his fists at his side and tried desperately to keep his voice even. “What do you _think_ happened to him?” He trusted Donnie’s opinion. He knew his genius brother would take all things into consideration before answering.

There was a very long pause, before Don clenched his eyes closed. “Based on the condition of this teleporter device, I believe a large voltage passed through it. Too large for it to properly trigger the device into any type of transport.”

Mikey shook his head, not wanting to believe what he thought he was hearing. “Donnie, just tell us straight.”

Don sank into his chair, dragging a hand down his face. “I believe the latter is the most likely to have happened.”

Mikey’s jaw trembled. “You think he’s dead?”

“I’m not dead!” Raph shouted. But panic washed over him as he saw his brother nod again and begin to shake all over. He rushed over, trying to grab Don’s shoulders but unable to. “I am NOT dead! I’m right here!”

Raph turned to see Splinter cover his eyes with one hand. “Oh, my son…”

Leo looked like he was in shock. He stared around the room for a moment, uncertain for once of what to do. He began to shake his head slowly at first and then with more determination. “No! We are not giving up on him that easily! It could have sent him somewhere!” He marched forward and pointed a shaking finger at the device. “You said he might have been teleported!”

Donnie was staring at him with tears pooling in his eyes. “Leo… The chances are so small….”

“We’ve wagered on smaller chances before and won. Come on, Donnie. See if you can get this thing to tell us where our brother is.” When Don blinked at him with a dubious look, Leo frowned. “I know you can do this, Donnie. When I was hurt, none of you gave up on me. And I’m not willing to give up on Raph either.”

Don sat up straighter and swiped at his eyes. “You’re right. No matter how small the chances are that he survived, we need to try.”

“That’s the spirit, bro!” Raph half cheered. “Get me out of this limbo!”

Mikey swiped at his face as well and walked forward. He frowned at the blackened device. “How are you going to get that thing to tell you anything?”

Don sighed. “I don’t know, but I’m going to try – for Raph.”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Raphael was settled against a wall in Donnie’s lab. He was staying close in case his brother was able to get the burnt equipment to work. But so far, there was nothing. Don had been at it for hours, picking apart the melted pieces, trying desperately to get the thing to even take an electrical current. But nothing had worked.

Raph had just started to drift off to sleep, when Donnie let out a frustrated roar and toppled his desk. “I can’t do it!” He fell to his knees. “There’s nothing left to salvage!” Raph rushed over as Donnie buried his face in his hands. “I’m sorry, Raph. I’m so sorry.” He began to sob.

Raph wanted to comfort him so badly, but he couldn’t touch him. “Oh, Donnie…I know ya tried…I know ya did.”

“What happened!” Leo followed shortly by Mikey entered the lab. Seeing their brother look so broken, their tendrils of hope began to slip away.

Mikey pushed past Leo to kneel beside Don. “Donnie…”

“It’s my fault!” Don sobbed. “I shouldn’t have left it plugged in! Raph is gone because of me!”

“No, it’s not!” Raph shouted. “It was mine! I was bein’ stupid!”

“That’s not true, bro!” Mikey protested at the same time. “You tell us all the time not to touch your stuff.”

Leo was looking at all the parts on the floor. “So, you can’t get it to work?”

Mikey glared. “That’s not fair, Leo! He’s been trying for twelve hours! He hasn’t even eaten anything!”

Don scooped a handful of melted plastic and metal. “I can’t even get ten bits of data from this thing. I…I don’t know what to do.”

Mikey could see his brother was terribly distraught by this fact. Don was usually the one with all the techy ideas. “Maybe we can contact the Fugitoid or Traximus. They might be able to help.”

Leo lit up. “That’s a good idea, Mikey. Can we contact them?”

Don gave a sharp nod, a tinge of hope returning to his features. “I’ll send a signal, but it may take a few hours for a response.” He sat in his computer chair and hit a few keys. Meanwhile, Mikey righted his desk and gave his eldest brother a worried look. Finally, Don turned back to them. “All we can do now is wait for a response.”

Mikey put a hand on his shoulder. “Well, since you can’t do anything else here, come get something to eat.”

“Okay.”

As Don stood and followed Mikey out, Leo paused looking at the broken pieces on the floor. Raph was surprised when Leo knelt down beside the pile, his firm exterior fading to one of sorrow. “Raph, you better be out there somewhere, bro. Because I don’t know what we’ll do without you.”

Raph felt his heart ache. This was the Leo he remembered from their youth, before he was named leader. The Leo that showed he cared and didn’t maintain that stoic expression all the time. “Leo, I’m here.” He knelt down next to him. “I’m right here beside ya.” He tried to place a hand on top of his.

Leo shuddered and took a sharp breath, fighting down the panic that wanted to consume him at the thought of never seeing his brother again.

“Leonardo?” Splinter called from the living room.

The turtle stood, schooling his features back into an emotionless mask, before stepping out to see what his father wanted. “Yes, Sensei?”

Raph followed him out and watched as Splinter spoke to his brother. “I have been in meditation, searching for your brother’s spirit.”

Light flickered in Leo’s eyes. “Did you find anything?”

Splinter frowned. “I am not certain. It is as if he is here and yet not here. I am unsure of how to interpret the sensation. But if he has been sent somewhere off our planet, I am certain I would not feel his presence here at all.”

Leo’s frown returned and it was even deeper than before. “So, you’re agreeing with Donnie. You don’t think he was transported.”

“I do not believe he was transported off planet. But if he were here, I should be able to connect with him on the astral plane and I could not.”

Raph frowned. “But I wasn’t meditatin’, Master. How could ya sense me, if I wasn’t meditatin’?”

Leo bit his lip and gave a slow nod. “Thanks for trying, Sensei.”

Splinter put a hand on his arm. “I have not given up hope, my son. We will find your brother.”

Leo nodded again as Splinter took his arm and guided him towards the kitchen. Raph started to follow but something dark flickered at the corner of his vision. He spun around, searching the lair. Was there an intruder? No, the security system would have gone off. But he could feel his skin prickle with another presence. Instinctively he reached for his sai, spinning them and backing towards his unsuspecting family. “Who’s there! Show yourself!”

There was no response from the empty room before him. Nothing moved or made noise, but it did not put the ninja’s nerves at ease. Something was out there, watching them.


	2. Unsolved

“Thanks for contacting us back, Traximus. I know it’s a bit difficult for you.” Don told the Triceraton general.

Traximus gave a toothy grin. “Nonsense, it is no trouble at all. Though I must say I was surprised by your message. I hope that I may be of service to you.”

“Any help would be greatly appreciated.” Leo told him from behind Donnie.

“While we were onboard one of the Triceraton ships, I picked up a device that I believe was a transporter of some kind. It was in a lab with other experimental devices.” Don had drawn a picture of what it had originally looked like and he showed it to their friend. “I was hoping you could give me more information about it.”

Traximus frowned. “That is in fact a transport device. And it is no longer experimental. Once the emperor was removed from power and the senate reinstated, more funds were funneled into our R&D programs.”

“What can you tell us about it?” Mikey prompted, leaning a little too far over Don’s shoulder.

“It was developed for only short range travel, ship to surface. However, it does need a ship in order to function. There is a homing signal in each that is linked to a specific ship and if the ship is not there, it will not transport.”

Don frowned. “Well, the ship this was likely linked to is most definitely gone.”

“Yeah, we blew it up.” Mikey muttered.

Leo leaned forward now. “Is there anything else you can tell us about the device?”

“That is the extent of my knowledge, but I can have the file pulled and sent to you on its development.”

“Thank you, that might actually be very helpful.” Don smiled sadly and after a series of goodbyes, he disconnected the call. But he kept the frequency open in order to receive the file.

The three brothers were silent for a long time. Raph moved around so he could see his brother’s face. “Come on, Donnie. Some of that has to ’ve help somehow.” Don’s head remained down, his eyes shut tightly and his mouth pressed into a tight line.

Mikey was the first to break the silence. “So, Raph couldn’t have been sent across the galaxy?”

“No.” Don responded in a small voice.

“Then maybe he’s somewhere here on Earth?” Leo suggested.

Don shook his head. “No, it’s only meant to return someone to their ship. No ship, no transport.” He shuddered. “Let’s face it guys, he didn’t _go_ anywhere. He’s just gone.”

Leo straightened. “What are you saying Donnie! Are you giving up on him! What about that file Traximus is sending!”

Don lifted his head to glare at his eldest brother. “Science doesn’t lie, Leo! Facts are facts, whether you want to accept them or not!”

Panic once again shot through Raph. “No! Don don’t give up on me, bro!”

As if he’d heard his brother’s plea, Don sighed. “I’m not giving up on him, not yet. But the likelihood that Raph is still alive in nearly zero. I’ll look over the file Traximus is sending, but I have a feeling it’s not going to change the fact that he’s gone – really and truly gone.”

“I can’t believe you’re talking like this! You’ve never given up on any of us before!”

Don came out of his chair, a mix of anger and pain in his eyes. “You think I want to! He was my brother too, Leonardo!” He stormed out of the lab, leaving Leo standing there gapping like a fish. He finally turned to look at his youngest brother.

Mikey had gone pale, his eyes wide and glassy. He pressed a hand to his mouth. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” He mumbled before rushing out of the lab as well. He made it to the bathroom just in time to expel everything he’d eaten earlier in the day. _Raph’s gone. He’s really gone._ Tears trickled down his face as he emptied his stomach once more. _It can’t be true!_ His shoulders hunched and shook. _But Donnie thinks it is and he’s usually right_. More tears gushed forward and he sobbed, leaning on the toilet for support. _Oh, god, it is true!_

There was the shuffle of feet in the doorway. “Oh, Mikey…” The younger turtle found himself being wrapped in a pair of olive green arms. “I’m sorry, Mikey. I shouldn’t have said it like that.”

Mikey leaned into Don, his breathing labored. “How sure are you?”

“Almost positive.” Don half whispered.

“Almost?”

“There is only a point-zero-zero-zero-zero-zero-zero-zero-one percent chance he’s alive somewhere.”

Mikey swallowed hard, clenching his eyes closed. “That sounds pretty certain to me.”

“Yeah.” Don breathed in an almost inaudible tone. He felt Mikey tremble in his arms as he began to sob. New tears trickled down Donnie’s cheeks. He’d tried to prepare himself for this possibility, but how do you prepare to lose someone you love.

Raph stood in the doorway, watching one brother rock the other gently as both wept for him. His own stomach rolled. It was too surreal, watching them grieve for him when he was still there. He wanted to shout at them, to shake them, to scream with all his might that he was alive. But they would not hear him.

Leo’s roar of frustration echoing off the walls made both Raph and Don look up. Mikey was too distraught to even make an attempt to move. Raph hurried back to the main room to see Leo laying into his punching bag. Every blow rocked the bag and rattled the chain. He was muttering something under his breath and Raph moved closer so he could hear. There was no danger of being struck after all. “What are you sayin’, Leo?”

“I can’t believe it!...I just can’t!....How can they give up!...I’m not giving up!....I swear, he’s alive! I can feel it!...I don’t care what the science says!....Donnie’s wrong! He has to be!...” Leo caught the bag, his breathing far faster than it should have been for that short of a workout. He clutched the bag, resting his forehead on it. “Raph, you can’t be gone…you just can’t be….”

Splinter was drawn from his room by the sound and smell of Michelangelo’s vomit. He paused to look at Leo, who didn’t even acknowledge him. He could tell instantly that the news from their Triceraton friend had not been good. His suspicions were confirmed when he made his way to the bathroom to find two of his sons huddled on the floor. He silently knelt beside them and they turned to bury their faces against him. The old rat held them as best he could. He pressed down the desire to weep for his lost son. He needed to comfort the ones he still had.

Raph looked from the bathroom to Leo and back again several times. “I can’t stand this! I’m right here! Look at me! Talk to me!”

“Do not waste your time.” A voice hissed. “They cannot hear you.”

Raph spun around, scanning the room. “Who’s there!” From a wall beside the television tower a black snakelike figure appeared. Raph took a step back, completely unnerved by the thing’s sudden appearance. “What the shell are you?”

“Another like you. I have been trapped between worlds for hundreds of years.” The thing seemed to swim through the air, swishing its long grotesque tail back and forth.

Raph made a face of disgust as it shot a long gray tongue out through sharp teeth. “Me and you ain’t nothin’ alike.”

“We are both trapped in this void.” The snake swam close to Leo.

“Stay away from him!” Raph snarled, clutching a sai.

“I cannot harm him. He cannot see or hear me, just as he cannot see or hear you.” To prove his point the snake passed through Leo’s shoulder. The turtle barely reacted, except for a small shudder.

Raph darted forward, but the snake was fast and with a swish of his tail was several feet away. “I said stay away from him!” Raph positioned himself between the creature and his brother.

“As you wish.” The snake hissed apologetically, though his yellow eyes were narrowed on the turtle.

“What do ya want here? This is my home!” Raph’s instincts were screaming at him not to trust the thing.

“I wished merely for companionship. I have been trapped here alone for a very long time without anyone to speak to or hear me.”

Raph’s gaze sharpened. “You’ve been hangin’ around our home the entire time we’ve been here?”

The snake snickered, making a terrible rasping noise. “No, I stumbled upon you earlier in the day. At first, I did not realize you were trapped as I. But after observing you for some time, I was certain you were.” He swam towards the bathroom, where the rest of Raph’s family still were. Raph ran to intercept him. The snake seemed unbothered by the action and turned away. “I normally travel, observing the world that cannot see me.” He turned his yellow eyes back on Raph. “You may call me Sab.”

“Raphael.” Raph jabbed a thumb at himself. “But there ain’t no point in introductions. My bros are gonna get me out of here.”

“There is no escape.”

“Yeah, well you don’t know my family. They’ll find a way.”

Sab looked at him with something that bordered on pity. “I have searched for centuries with no success.” When Raph just glared back, the snake moved off towards the wall he’d entered through. “I see it will take you some time to realize this. I will return and you will welcome my presence then.”

Raph watched the being float straight through the wall. “I seriously doubt it.” But a new worry grew inside him. Could that thing hurt his family? He growled. _I won’t let it!_

He turned to see Leo step away from the bag with a decidedly unhappy expression. The leader paused to look in the bathroom’s direction before heading for the stairs. Raph watched with a deepening frown. _I’ve got to get out of here!_

Don helped Mikey to his bed and tucked him in. The orange-banded turtle looked so broken and lost. He stroked a hand over his little brother’s head. “I’m sorry, Mikey.”

Mikey shook his head. He wasn’t going to let his brother think that way. “This isn’t your fault, Donnie. It was an accident.”

Don gave a small nod, but didn’t meet his brother’s distraught gaze. “Get some rest.”

Mikey could tell he hadn’t managed to convince him. But before he could say more, Donnie had already left the room, closing the door behind him. The young turtle sighed heavily, burying his face in his pillow. “Oh, Raphie…” Fresh tears leaked from his eyes. It hurt so bad. His chest was so tight with grief it was hard to breathe.

Raph stood watching his baby brother weep quietly. Anger rose in him at the unfairness of the situation, at the sheer lunacy. He was there! He was alive! He let out a roar that would have normally sent Mikey scrambling out of bed. But the turtle did not react in the least, even as Raph began swing at everything around him. He wanted to hit something – anything! He was a turtle of action and he was tired of doing nothing!

The wall was the only thing that gave the slightest resistance, his fists passed through everything else with ease. The more he swung without contact, the angrier he became. “This is stupid! So damn stupid!” Then something happened, he swung at the pile of drawings on Mikey’s desk and one of his colored pencils rolled off.

Raph paused, his eyes following the pencil as it rolled across the floor several inches. “What the shell?” He knelt beside it. “Did I do that?” He knew there were no drafts down here. It was damp and cold, but most of the time stuffy. They often used fans to circulate the air and no fans were on now. Biting his lip, he swiped at it, trying to grab it. But his fingers passed right through. “Come on!” Again he swiped at it and again it did not move.

He couldn’t understand why. How had it made it move in the first place, if he hadn’t been able to touch anything else so far. Raph looked at his brother, who’d dozed off. If he could do whatever it was again, maybe he could get Mikey’s attention.

The door opened just a crack. “Sorry, Klunk.” Don’s voice mumbled a moment before the orange and white cat pranced inside, the door shutting softly behind him. The feline stopped in front of him and let out a low mew. Raph blinked in surprise. “Klunk, you can see me?”

The cat meowed and swished his tail as if in response to Raph’s question.

Hope bubbled in Raph’s chest. “Can you wake Mikey up? Tell ‘im I’m here, Klunk.”

Again, the cat meowed and swished his tail, before turning and jumping up onto Mikey’s bed. For a spit-second Raph thought the feline was going to do as he was asked, but that thought quickly disappeared as the fuzzy pet curled up on top of his brother and went to sleep.

“Traitor.” Raph grumbled. He stood to his feet and stared for a moment at the closed door. He’d seen Sab float through a wall and wondered if he could do the same thing. Reaching out, he put a hand against the door and pushed. He gasped as he suddenly fell forward. Not only did he go through the door, but fell straight through the floor onto the lower level. _This is gonna take some gettin’ used to._ He sat up and rubbed his head as Master Splinter passed him. “Master Splinter!” Raph jumped up to follow his father across the large living area to his room. If he could get anyone to notice him, it would be him.

He watched as Splinter knelt and lit a candle, resting an old photograph of Raph beside it. “My son…” The old rat lowered his head and a tear slipped from his eye.

Raph knelt beside him. “Father…”

Splinter sighed. “I do not believe you are gone, my son. But I fear I cannot reach you.”

“Meditate, Master. I will too. Maybe we can talk.” Raph never cared for meditation, but he would try anything at this point.

“I will try once more to find your spirit, Raphael. And I pray with all my heart that I am given some indication of your wellbeing.”

As Splinter settled into a meditative position, Raph mirrored him. He desperately tried to relax and center himself as his sensei had taught him. After several long moments, Raph found himself on the astral plane and sitting just beside him was Splinter.

“Master Splinter! Can ya hear me! Can ya see me!” He waved his arms, trying desperately to gain the rat’s attention.

Splinter’s reaction was slow. He could feel Raphael, just as he had before – there, yet not there. He opened his eyes to look about the astral plane in search of his son’s spirit and was surprised to find a shadow near him. The shadow had no defined shape, but at its edges it burned a bright red. He watched it wave and move. For the briefest of moments a familiarity washed over Splinter. Just as he was beginning to recognize the form, an even darker vail was dropped between them. The connection between himself and the shadow lost, Splinter left the astral plane, returning to his empty room and the sensation of true loss.

Raph opened his eyes again to stare at his father. “Why did you break the connection, Sensei? You could see me.” He rubbed his chin. “Well, sorta.”

“Your efforts are futile.” Hissed Sab from a corner. “Their minds are too weak to reach you.”

Raph glared at the snake. “What are you doin’ here?”

Sab floated across the room, avoiding the flame of Splinter’s candle. “If you insist on this ludicrous endeavor, I shall help you.” His gray tongue shot out again, flicking the air.

“I don’t want your help!” Raph snapped. “Now get out! This is my home! I already told you to stay away from my family!”

Sab remained as calm as if Raphael had asked him to tea. “I have learned many things during my…internment here. It could be valuable to you.”

“I don’t want no part of what you’re offerin’.” Raph growled again.

“Such a pity.” Sab swooped down, sweeping right through the center of Splinter’s chest.

“Hey!” Raph dove at the creature, this time barely missing him.

“They are in so much pain.” Sab seemed to lick his lips. “It is a shame to leave them as such. At least for now…” He swished his long tail and disappeared through a wall.

Raph looked back at his father with concern. The rat had a hand pressed to his chest and a slightly pained look on his face. Splinter grimaced. It had felt like someone had shoved a ball of ice right through him. Raph frowned. “Sensei, are you okay?”

Splinter simply rubbed at his chest again, regaining its normal warmth. He took in a deep breath. Something felt different, dark and powerful. He wondered if it was the vision he’d seen in his meditation. He shook his head dismissing the thought. _I am simply tired._

“Sensei…” Raph reached out for him, his arm brushing the candle. The flame flickered, making Splinter raise a brow. Maybe it wasn’t his imagination after all.


	3. Unnoticed Clues

Donnie paced his lab, cursing himself over and over. He’d hoped that Traximus’s file on the transporter device would give him something, even an infinitesimal amount to go on. But it hadn’t. The specs were so detailed, he could’ve built one. That is if he’d had all the Triceraton components. All in all, it hadn’t given him much to work off of. Turning his gaze back to the box of burnt and melted parts, he sighed.

“Did ya find anything, bro?” Raph asked as he entered Donnie’s lab, even though he knew he wouldn’t be heard. He watched his brother lower his head into one hand as he half leaned on his desk. Raph could already see the answer in his brother’s posture, even without it being verbalized. “Don…I…I wish…” Raph clenched his fist. There was no point in offering apologies when no one could hear him. He stood beside Don, his head down.

Don let out another heavy sigh, rubbing his tired red eyes. He hadn’t been able to sleep yet. He’d been too anxious to look over the file. As he lifted his head, something on the darkened computer screen caught the corner of his eye. He raised his head quickly, but the shadow was gone. Don rubbed at his eyes again. _I must be really tired. My eyes are playing tricks on me._

He rose and stepped out of his lab, followed by Raph. Leo met them near the stairs. “Did you get the file?” Don nodded. “And?”

“It’s exactly what I was afraid of. The device has very limited and exact parameters. If everything isn’t exactly as it should be the whole thing doesn’t work.”

Leo frowned. “But-“

“I went over that file five times, Leo. I wish there was something -anything- in it to give me even the slightest clue. If there had been I would be jumping all over it right now.” Don shook his head sadly. “Look it’s been a very long day. I need to some sleep.”

Leo gave a solemn nod, his eyes downcast. But before Don could take to the stairs, the door to the lair opened.

Raph felt his spirits rise again. “Casey!”

“Hey, guys!” Casey’s voice sounded across the space. When he spotted Leo and Don, he walked over. “What’s up? I’ve been tryin’ to call Raph for like three hours. Is the bonehead, sleepin’ or somethin’?” Leo and Don exchanged pained looks and Casey frowned. “What’s with the faces?”

Leo shook his head and looked up at his brother. “Go on to bed, Don. I’ll talk to Casey.”

Donnie eyed their hotheaded friend with a frown. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I know you’re tired.”

Don squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “Call me, if you need me.”

Leo nodded again and Don left them. Casey watched the exchange with a growing knot in his stomach. “Leo, where’s Raph?”

“Come sit down, Casey. It’s a long story.”

The vigilante listened as Leo told him what had happened. All the while, behind him Raph paced back and forth, trying to get Casey’s attention. But his friend never looked at him and a growing fear was creeping across his features.

“So, Don thinks Raph’s been disintegrated?”

“Yes, but I’m still not fully convinced.”

Casey stared at him blankly. “But if Donnie thinks…. Why don’t ya? I mean, do ya got some kinda reason not to? Do ya got some kind ninja vibe or somethin’?” He would take any reason not to believe his friend was dead. All he needed was some small speck of hope.

Leo looked down at his hands. “No, I don’t really have a reason, other than I feel it in my heart. I know he’s still with us somehow.”

It was Casey’s turn to shake his head. “Leo, I wanna believe it too. But from what ya told me it ain’t likely.” The human swallowed hard and averted his gaze. “This is just gonna crush April.”

“No!” Both Leo and Raph said in unison. Leo put up his hands. “Don’t tell her. Not yet anyways. It’s only just happened and maybe we can find a way to get him back.”

Casey was shaking as he stood. “I won’t, but I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep it from her. She’ll find out eventually.”

“Just…try to keep her at bay a few days.” Leo pleaded.

Casey nodded, shuffling to the door. “I’ll try…” He paused with his hand on the doorframe, his shoulders slumped. “Leo?”

“Yeah, Casey?”

“Do everything ya can to get ‘im back. He’s my best bud.”

Raph felt his insides twist as a tear escaped the corner of Casey’s eye. And then he was gone, disappeared through the doorway. Raph bit his lip. Well, that hadn’t helped anything. April was going to be sure to see how upset Casey was and head down there as soon as she figured it out. Raph ran through the conversation again and turned to Leo, who was doing the same thing.

He watched as Leo pulled his shell-cell from his belt and stared at it. Raph snapped his fingers. “Yeah, that’s right! Casey said he tried to call me.” He flipped open his phone to see three missed calls. He frowned. His phone had never rung, but it had to have picked up some sort of signal to register the calls. Acting quickly, he dialed Leo’s number. Maybe, just maybe, it would work. “Come on! Come on!” On his end, he could hear Leo’s phone ringing, but the phone in his brother’s hands never made a sound.

Leo stood, clutching his phone. “If it were only that easy.” He threw it against the couch and it bounced off the back and into the seat cushion.

Raph watched as his brother stalked off. Still clutching the phone to his ear, he heard Leo’s voice mail pick up, static filled and distant. As soon as his elder brother’ s voice ceased and there was a beep, Raph began speaking rapidly. “Leo! You’re right, I’m still here! I saw you throw the phone down! You got to hear me, bro! This is completely nuts! I can see and hear you guys, but you can’t me! But I am here! I ain’t dead, Leo! Tell Don and Mikey! I’m still here!” He rambled on for a few more moments until the recorder cut him off.

Raph grumbled about stupid machines as he stared at the blasted device. He had no way of knowing if Leo would get the message or if he’d even check it. So, he decided to make similar calls to Mikey, Don, Splinter, and even Casey. Then he tried to text them all. By the time he was done, Leo had disappeared upstairs. Having nothing else he could do, Raph climbed the stairs as well. He looked from his room to each of his brother’s.

Not wanting to be alone, he gravitated back to Mikey’s room. Maybe it was his need to protect his youngest brother or comfort him somehow, but for whatever reason he felt he needed to be near him. This time he pushed his way through the solid door a lot slower. It gave only the slightest resistance as he stepped through. Mikey was sound asleep, snoring with Klunk still curled up on top of him. Normally, Raph would have made some snide remark about the amount of noise coming from his little brother, but at that moment the noise was almost comforting. Settling down on the floor, he tucked his arms behind his head.

He couldn’t honestly say he was sleepy. He’d only drifted off in Donnie’s lab because he’d been so bored. Taking a quick assessment of himself, he realized he wasn’t tired or hungry or anything really. He hadn’t even needed to use the facilities. He frowned at the thought. Did that mean that this limbo kept him a sort of stasis bubble? He was suspended between time and space, not even aging?

 _Sab said he’s been here for centuries. Does that mean if my bros don’t get me out, I’ll be locked in here forever?_ He felt his pulse begin to race at the thought. That would be a terrifying existence, even for him. He might not always admit it or appreciate it, but he needed that contact with his family. They were what kept him grounded and gave him real purpose.

Raph rolled onto his side, the position slightly more comfortable. He closed his eyes with the intent of trying to rest. Though his body didn’t seem to require it, he felt as if he needed it. It had been more than twenty-four hours since he’d had any sleep.  He took in a deep breaths, allowing Mikey’s constant snore and his presence to relax him a bit.

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Raph felt himself just begin to doze when a shriek broke through the air around him. His eyes snapped open and he jumped to his feet. He was no longer in his brother’s room, but standing on a vast landscape. The sky above him was a blood red and the earth beneath him was scorched black. Fires raged all around him. The shriek came again, drawing his gaze to the sky as what he could only classify as a dragon swooped through the air.

His jaw hung open. “Holy shell! Where am I?”

He didn’t have time to ponder the dragon as hooves pounded the ground nearby. He spun in time to see several horses with riders barreling down on him. He dove to the side with a gasp, only to land in front of another horse and rider.

The horse reared and his rider kicked him. “Confounded beast!” He dug his heel into the horse’s flanks. Raph threw up his arm as the creature’s hooves came down on him. After a moment, he realized he felt nothing. He cracked open an eye to see the group of horsemen riding away. None of which had seemed to see him.

“What is goin’ on! How’d I get here!” He jumped back to his feet. The landscape revealed nothing familiar to him. It looked more like a scene from a medieval movie. Rolling hills of ash, which had likely been lush green grass at some point. The familiar sounds of combat reached his ears and he turned to walk in its direction.

He crested a hill to see a full-on battle raging in the small valley beneath him. As he stared at the men in armor, awestruck, a voice hissed behind him. “Do you like what you see, Raphael?”

He twisted around to find Sab floating mere feet from him. He frowned. “Is this your home dimension?”

Sab tilted his black head as if considering the question. “It is the dimension of my origin.”

Raph glanced back at the men swinging a large variety of weapons, all of which looked deadly. “What’s goin’ on here?”

“Death. Glorious death.” Sab let out another laugh that sent a chill down Raph’s spine.

He opened his mouth to ask for a better explanation, when there was a footfall behind him. Once again, he turned to find himself staring at a man – or at least that’s what Raph assumed he was. The man’s face, like the riders’, was grayish in color and held deep wrinkled lines. His nose was upturned slightly, almost like that of a hog. “Demons!”

Sab hissed, his tongue flicking out. “Mystic.”

Raph put up his hands. “Whoa, I’m no demon.” Then it struck him. “You can see me! You gotta help me!” He took a step forward, which as it turned out was a very bad idea. The man charged him with his sword, which seemed to glow in the gloom. Raph instinctively dodged the blows, though it was unlikely the man’s sword could hurt him. “Wait! I ain’t gonna hurt ya!” He jumped back out of range, landing beside Sab.

The man swung again and the blade sliced through Sab. His body seemed to vanish before Raph’s eyes. He put up his hands. _What just happened? Did he just kill Sab?_ Raph took a step back, his eyes wide as the blade swished through the air again. “No! Wait! I just want to go home!” He cried out as the blade descended.

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

For a moment Raph struggled to breathe. It felt like he’d just been hit by a stack of bricks and flung two football fields. He slowly opened his eyes to find he was in Mikey’s room again. But his brother wasn’t there. Raph swiped at the sweat dripping off his brow and beak. “Damn it.” He muttered. Whatever had just happened, he didn’t want it to happen again. “Sleepin’ is obviously a very bad idea.” Willing his heart to return to a steady beat, he clamored to his feet.

Making his way out of the room, he found the lair strangely quiet. Once he’d descended the stairs, he spotted Mikey sitting on the couch staring off into nothing. Klunk was at his elbow, rubbing his head on the younger turtle’s arm. But for once, Mikey didn’t seem to acknowledge him.

Leo suddenly appeared from the kitchen with two steaming mugs in hand. He handed one to his brother. “Here, this will settle your stomach.” He patted the cat’s head and sat down on the other side of him. “It’ll be okay, Mikey”

For the first time that morning, Mikey lifted his head. His normally bright eyes were dim. “How exactly will it be okay? Raph’s gone.” His eyes drifted back down to the floor. “We don’t even have a body to burry.”

“He’s not gone.” Leo stated firmly, working his jaw.

Mikey stood up abruptly, nearly knocking Klunk on the floor. “Why do you keep saying that!”

“Because it’s true.” Leo muttered.

Mikey plopped the mug on the coffee table and waved his hands in the air. “Why!”

“I don’t know why.” Leo stared into his own mug, searching for the right words. “I just know,” he lifted a hand to his heart, “in here.”

Mikey shook his head, his expression both distraught and confused. “I wanna believe you, Leo. I really, _really_ do. I want Raph back as much as you do, but Donnie-.”

“Donnie’s wrong!” Leo snapped. “He’s given up!”

Mikey frowned. “He’s not giving up! He’s facing reality!” He dragged a hand down his face, his stomach was churning again. “Look, I’m not up for this. I don’t want to fight. I think I need to lie down again.” He started for the stairs, but paused with his hand on the rail. “Maybe you should start thinking about what’s real and what’s hopeful thinking too. Because what you’re doin’ isn’t healthy, bro.”

When he was gone, Leo let out a heavy sigh. He wished he could convince his brothers that Raphael was still alive. But how could he, when all he had was a feeling to go on. _Maybe I am just fooling myself with hopeful thinking._ He looked down at Klunk, who seemed to be watching something. “What do you think, Klunk? Am I being foolish?”

Noticing Leo’s attention on the cat, Raph moved close. “Come on, Klunk. Ya gotta help me out here. Let Leo know you see me.” He wiggled his fingers in front of the cat and Klunk swiped at them.

Leo gave the orange feline a strange look. “What’re you doing?” Raph moved his hand up to Leo’s mug and Klunk followed still swiping at what Leo thought was thin air. When the cat swatted at the mug, Leo frowned. “Mikey has made you crazy, Klunk. I’m going to have to talk to him about all that pizza he keeps feeding you.”

The turtle stood, collecting his brother’s abandoned tea. He looked up in time to see Klunk spring at something he couldn’t see. With a shake of his head, he carried the cups back to the kitchen.

Raph growled. “Well, that didn’t work.” Klunk meowed at him and he gave the him a weak smile. “Thanks for your help anyways.”

Upstairs, Don rolled over and frowned at the ceiling. He hadn’t really slept. His mind was still a whirlwind of half-formed theories, grief, and guilt. He’d allowed this to happen. He hadn’t been paying attention. He could have prevented all of this with one simple action. If he’d unplugged the device, Raph would still be there. He’d still be there to tease him when Don grew too serious. He’d still be there to watch his back in battle. He’d still be there to distract Mikey when he became too annoying. He’d still be there.

Taking a deep breath, he sat up, shoving the covers aside. Maybe if he distracted himself with a mundane project. Often times working with his hands doing a routine activity, helped to clear his head. Pulling on his gear and mask, he made for the garage. The Battleshell needed an oil change.

Raph stepped out of the kitchen, where Leo was washing dishes, at the sound of a door opening. He watched as Donnie descended the stairs. The genius glanced towards the kitchen, then hurried to the elevator.  Frowning, Raph ran to climb inside with him. “Avoiding Leo, huh? That’s usually my thing.” Now that he was closer, he could see dark rings peeking out from beneath his brother’s purple mask. “You don’t look so good, Donnie-boy. You really should try to get some more sleep.” His brother just stared blankly at the doors. Raph sighed. “Yeah, I guess that ain’t gonna happen.”

Donnie exited the elevator and gave the old warehouse a quick look in case of intruders. When his gaze fell on the red motorcycle, he pressed his eyes shut, fighting the intense pain in his chest. His fists clenched tightly at his side. Biting his lip, he turned his back on the beloved machine – that as far as he knew would probably never get used again. He knew he wouldn’t have the heart to ride it and it was unlikely Leo or Mikey would either.

Raph watched the pain flicker across Don’s face to be replaced with a forlorn expression as he made his way to the Battleshell. Opening the door, he popped the hood and switched on the radio. He shifted through several stations before settling on one.

“Hard rock? Gee, you really must be feelin’ off?” Raph squatted near Don as he prepared the oil pan. He knew the genius usually preferred something softer – classical tended to be his music of choice when alone.

Donnie was hopping the noise would drown out his own thoughts and allow him to focus on the mindless chore before him.

Raph frowned at the tense set of Don’s shoulders.  “That ain’t gonna work, Don. You can’t relax to somethin’ you don’t like.” Raph moved around to the open driver’s door as Don leaned over the engine. He climbed into the seat, though it took some concentration not float right through the bottom of the truck. He frowned at the dial. “You’re listenin’ to my station?” At that moment, all Raph wanted to do was reach out and change it to the one his brother liked. He needed to see him unwind, to remove that guilt in his eyes even for an instant.

He reached out, his phantom fingers passing through the radio. The thing suddenly hissed with static and a small shock ran up his hand. “Ow!”

Don jumped, banging his head on the inside of the hood. He stared around him, rubbing his head. _What was that?_


	4. Frustration

Mikey flipped on his desk lamp and sat down in front of his pile of drawings. He didn’t feel much like sleeping after all. But he just didn’t know what to do with himself. Idlily he picked up a pencil and shuffled for a clean sheet of paper. Memories flickered through his mind one after another and he allowed his hand to wander across the page. Raph tackling him after a prank. Raph chasing him in ninja tag. Raph after a slip of his temper. Raph after a close call. Raph smashing his face into his birthday cake.

Mikey looked down at the paper through blurry eyes and there, staring back at him was his brother with a wicked grin and bright life-filled eyes. Mikey pulled out another paper and another, his hand capturing the images in his mind. He never wanted to forget them. They were precious and irreplaceable, just like his brother.

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

In the garage, Don stared around him. The radio had suddenly hissed loudly. And had that been a voice he’d heard? He frowned, stepping away from the Battleshell and walking to the old boarded up windows. Maybe someone was outside nearby and had heard the static. He had just made it to the window and observed no one outside, when the radio hissed loudly again.

Raph was ecstatic! His brother had heard him. Well, maybe he had. Raph stuck his hand back into the radio despite the pain. “Donnie! Donnie, can you hear me! It’s me, Raph! I’m here!” His spirits lifted even more as Don walked back to the Battleshell with a curious expression. “Donnie? Don!”

The genius frowned at the radio making the terrible noise. Distantly he thought he heard a voice, but it was far too faint to determine if it was male or female, and definitely too faint to make out any words. It almost sounded like a station not tuned in well. But that couldn’t be, because he knew he’d turned it in correctly. He reached into the truck and turned off the radio with a heavy sigh. “Something else I’m going to have to fix now.”

“No, Don! Don’t turn it off!” Raph grabbed at his arm, but all it seemed to do was make his younger brother shiver. He continued to yell and try the radio again as Donnie quietly went back to changing the oil.

By the time he was done, Raph was spent. He’d tried everything he could think of starting from the radio and working his way through the headlights and horn and all the other electronic gadgets onboard. But it turned out that without the item being on to begin with, he couldn’t affect it. But one thing was growing clear to Raph. Strong emotions affected his environment. He’d moved the pencil while angry and manipulated the radio while wanting to console his brother. If he could just figure out how to harness the emotions and focus them, maybe he could get someone’s attention.

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Leo frowned as he washed the last of the dishes. He mulled over the facts again. Raph had touched the transporter device while it was plugged in. He hadn’t left the lair. He hadn’t been transported back to the ship that no longer existed. Splinter didn’t seem to sense him. It was as if he just simply didn’t exist.

He stared down at his muted reflection in the water and sighed heavily. If he were to be honest with himself, he couldn’t give a solid reason why Raph could still be alive.  _I’ve just been fooling myself. Mikey’s right. I need to face reality. Raphael is gone._ He felt his chest contract. _We’ll never get to see him again. I’ll never get to tell him that I only argue with him, because I care what happens to him. I’ll never get to apologize. I’ll never get to say goodbye._

His mask grew damp as he tried to see through tear-filled eyes. A fur covered hand landed on his shoulder and Leo shuddered. It had been many years since he’d showed his tears in front of his father. But when he turned to look down into the warm brown eyes of his sensei, he saw no shame there, only concern.

“Master…” Leo whispered.

Splinter’s arms wrapped around him. “It is alright, my son. I too feel his great loss.”

Leo sucked in a harsh breath. His arms came up to wrap around his father, holding desperately to him like a small child waking from a nightmare. But this nightmare was not one he could wake from. This nightmare took his brother from him – from all of them.

_That’s right, I have two brothers that are hurting right now. They still need me. I can’t drown in my own sorrow. I must accept this, as painful as it is, and go comfort them. I’ve ignored their pain too long._

Leo stepped back and looked down at Splinter. “Have you sensed anything new, Father?”

Splinter shook his gray head. “No, I’m afraid not. But there does seem to be a presence when I meditate.”

“Presence?” Leo couldn’t help the spark of hope that grew in him momentarily.

“It is not Raphael.” Splinter frowned. “It seems evil and cold. I feel it is hiding something from me.”

The hope vanished and Leo frowned. “Is it something that could hurt you or us?”

“I do not believe so. It seems bound to the astral plane.”

Leo gave another small nod. “Speaking of which. I think I’ll go meditate myself.”

“Be wary, my son.” Splinter told him as he left the kitchen.

“I will, Master.” But Leo stopped as the elevator door opened.

Donnie stepped into the living room to find Leo watching him. He really wasn’t sure what to say to his brother now. His mind was just as full as it had been before he’d started the oil change and now a new item had been piled on top of that. The Battleshell was acting strangely. First it had been the radio, but as he’d worked he’d noted slight flickers of electricity as if the thing was trying to start on its own. Don rubbed the back of his neck with a frown. _Maybe there’s something wrong with the remote system._

Raph outright scowl as he exited beside him. How could his genius brother be so dismissive of everything he’d tried? Raph noted Leo’s distraught expression as he approached them. “Now what?”

Don swallowed as Leo put his hand on his shoulder. “Don, I’m sorry, I’ve been so hard on you. I know this isn’t your fault. If it’s anyone’s it’s mine. I caused that power surge, after all.”

Don shook his head slowly. “You can’t blame this on you either. It was just a series of unfortunately timed events.”

Leo frowned and pulled Donnie into an embrace. “Still, you and Mikey have been trying to make me see the truth and I finally understand.”

“What!” Raph was near panic. Now Leo was giving up on him too! “No, don’t do this, Leo!”

Don’s arms wrapped around Leo. He shuddered softly. “Leo, I...”

Leo sighed. “I know, I miss him too.” He stepped back to look at him and squeeze his shoulders. “This is going to be hard on all of us. But I want you to know, if you need to talk I’m here.”

Don gave a solemn nod. “Thanks, Leo. And the same goes for you too.”

Leo released him. “I’m going to meditate, if you need me.” Donnie watched Leo leave and then headed for his lab.

Raph growled in frustration. “You’re all crazy! You know that! I’m right here!”

“Why do you continue to speak to those that will not hear you?” Sab’s black sleek body slipped through a nearby wall. “If you wish to speak, _I_ am willing to listen.”

“Sab!” Raph half growled. Well, he shouldn’t have been surprised. If that mystic guy didn’t kill him, then he didn’t kill Sab either. _Too bad too._ “What’s goin’ on, slimy? What’s with that mystic guy and that strange world? How come he could see us?”

“As I said it is the place of my origin. And do not concern yourself with the mystic. Although he has the power of sight, he cannot harm us with his primitive weaponry. He can only send us away.”

Raph rubbed a hand across his chest, which still ached a bit from whatever that creature had done. He frowned, making up his mind. “Well, I don’t want nonthin’ to do with that place or you!”

Sab’s yellow eyes narrowed on him. “Do not anger me, turtle. I have chosen to treat you as a friend, instead of simply devouring you.”

Raph glared, taking hold of his sai. “Yeah, right. Now, beat it!”

Sab hissed, his slitted pupils becoming a thin line. The look was entirely predatory and Raph took a defensive stance. “You will regret this action.”

“Not likely.” Raph spun his twin sai, his own gaze sharp. Sab gave another hiss and disappeared through a wall. Raph frowned after him. He had a feeling he’d just made the wrong kind of enemy – a powerful and stealthy one.

Looking around, he realized he was alone again. Splinter was in the kitchen making tea and Don was in his lab, both of which Raph had not been able get through to. _Leo said he was going to meditate, maybe I could get his attention on the astral plane._ Raph started for Leo’s room, but as he walked down the hall he glanced through Mikey’s open door and came to a cold stop.

Sitting on the floor, surround by drawings, was Mikey. The youngest turtle looked nearly as haggard as Don had. One of the drawings caught Raph’s attention and he stepped closer to see. His mouth hung open as knelt beside his brother. There were at least a dozen drawings, all of them of him. But what really shocked him was that in every single one he was smiling. His gaze shifted to the turtle beside him. “Is this really how you see me, Mikey?”

Another sketch complete, Mikey allowed his pencil to drop to the floor beside him. He stared around him at the drawings. Each depicted a precious memory. “Why Raph? Why’d you have to go and be so stupid?”

Raph felt his heart clench tightly. He had been stupid. Why did he touch something he knew he shouldn’t have? Donnie was constantly warning them not to mess with his experiments. Why hadn’t he listened this time? “Mikey, I’m sorry.” He tried to touch his brother’s shoulder. “You’re right. I was stupid.” Raph could feel the ball of emotion growing in his gut – anger, sadness, guilt, frustration, loneliness.  “Man, I’m such an idiot!” He slung a hand at the papers and they scattered.

Both Mikey and Raph gasped. The orange-banded turtle looked around him for the source of the sudden cold draft, but found none. “Okay, that was weird.”

Joy rushed through Raph. “I did it! I moved ‘em!” He turned to his brother. “Come on, bro, you seen enough horror movies. You gotta put two and two together.” Mikey frowned after a moment and shrugged. Raph groaned. Who was he kidding this was Mikey after all. He’d practically need to write it out for him.

A soft beep came from the nightstand and Mikey rose to pick up his shell-cell. The battery was low. He plugged it in and opened it out of habit, just to make sure it was charging. His brow furrowed at the screen. “What’s all this stuff?” The phone indicated there was a text, but when he tried to see who it was or what it said, it was gibberish. The words weren’t words but black dots and half squares and half formed letters. “Aw, shell. I hope I didn’t bust this thing. Donnie’ll lecture me for an hour!”

Raph stood and stepped up behind him to see what he was looking at. “That must be my text. Didn’t go through, I guess.”

Mikey switched back to the main screen and spotted a voicemail. He knew his phone hadn’t rang, so how did he have a voicemail? There was no number next to it either.

“Oh, yeah! There’s my voicemail! Try it, Mikey. See if you can hear me.” Raph pleaded, though he knew his brother couldn’t hear him.

Mikey was already attempting to listen to it. The message hissed loudly in his ear. He held the phone away from him with a scowl. “What kind of prankster calls and leaves nothing but static?”

“It wasn’t a prank call! It was me!” Raph nearly shouted.

Mikey sighed. “Maybe this thing really is broke. I better have Don take a look at it.” He pressed the button to power off and froze. There in the reflection of the darkened screen over his right shoulder was a shadow – a very familiar shadow. “Raph!” Mikey spun around at full ninja speed, but there was no one in his room.

“Mikey! You saw me!” Raph cheered. “Oh, I wish I could hug ya!”

“Raphael?” Mikey’s heart was beating a thousand miles an hour. Could that have really been his brother’s reflection? He flipped open his cell again and tried to look for his shadow again, but found nothing. He frowned looking around the space. “Raphie, are you here?”

“Yes, I’m here! Mikey, I’m right beside ya!” Raph desperately wanted to grab his brother in that moment.

Comprehension and determination flashed in Mikey’s eyes. “You’re here, aren’t you, Raph?” Excitement blazed across his face. “I gotta tell the others!”

“Yes!” Raph shouted as he rushed to follow his brother out of the room.

Mikey flung open Leo’s door. “Leo! I saw Raph! He’s alive!” He paused. “Or at least I think he’s alive, unless he’s some kind of undead ghost or something!”

Leo stood slowly and approached his babbling little brother. “Mikey, it’s okay. I understand now. Raph’s gone. You were right to call me out. I was just fooling myself.”

“No! I was wrong, Leo! Raph – I saw him!” Mikey held out his phone.

Leo frowned, wondering if Mikey had snapped from all the stress. “You saw Raph on your phone?”

“Uh huh!” Mikey nodded vigorously, thinking Leo was starting to believe him.

“So, you were looking at pictures on your phone of Raph and now you think he’s alive?”

Mikey’s expression twisted. “No, I wasn’t looking at pictures of Raph. I mean, I was drawing pictures of Raph. But I wasn’t looking at my phone. No wait, I mean, I was looking at my phone, but it was off and Raph was on it!”

Donnie suddenly appeared in the doorway. “What’s with all the shouting?”

Leo’s frown was much deeper now and he exchanged a worried look with his genius brother. “Mikey says he saw Raph on his phone and now he thinks he’s alive.”

Donnie frowned now. “Mikey just because you were looking at his pictures, doesn’t mean-.”

“I wasn’t looking at pictures! I was looking at this weird text message and voicemail. When I turned the phone off, there he was!”

Leo and Don exchanged another look, one Raph knew all too well. “Ya gotta listen to ‘im, Fearless! He’s tellin’ the truth! It ain’t some kinda prank!”

Don stepped closer to Mikey, putting a hand on his shoulder and taking his phone from him. “It’s alright, Mikey. Denial is one of the stages of grief. Once you fully accept that Raph is gone, you’ll begin to feel better.”

Mikey shoved Don’s hand off him rather roughly. “I’m not in denial! I saw what I saw!”

“You saw what you wanted to see.” Leo shook his head sadly. “I’ve been in denial too. I’m hoping with mediation I can fully come to terms with our loss.”

“And I’m telling you, we haven’t lost him! I know what I saw! Raph is alive!” Mikey waved his hands wildly.

“Michelangelo!” Splinter’s stern voice came from the hall. Everyone turned to look at him. “That is enough.” Although his tone was firm, his expression was full of worry.

Raph moved towards his father. “Come on, Master, listen to ‘im. He’s tellin’ the truth.”

Mikey’s face dropped. “But, Sensei, I did see him! I swear I did!”

Splinter motioned to his youngest son. “Come with me, my son.”

Mikey did as he was told, but continued his rant. “You just gotta believe me, Master Splinter! I saw Raphael!”

“Of course, you did, my son.” Splinter put a hand on his shell, guiding him towards the stairs and eventually to the dojo.

Leo looked at Don. “What do you think?”

“It’s probably just exhaustion and stress. I’ll see if I can find him something to help him sleep.”

Raph growled in frustration. “I ain’t a product of exhaustion!” He wished he could just get them to hear him.

Leo frowned. “You look like you could use some more rest as well.”

Don waved a dismissive hand. “I’ll be fine. I’ve functioned on far less sleep.” He looked down at his brother’s phone. It was probably best he kept it, at least until he was sure it wouldn’t cause Mikey another break down.

“He said he saw some kind of strange text on there, maybe that was what set him off.” Leo suggested.

Don flipped open the device and pressed the power button. He frowned as he scrolled through its recent activity. “Looks like some kind of glitch. I’ll check the system for any anomalies. We’re in no position to be compromised right now.”

Leo nodded. “Keep me informed.”

Don gave a nod of his own as he left the room. Raph was furious! They had just blown Mikey off. Although that was pretty normal, it was not helpful in this situation. He needed them to believe him, otherwise he’d be trapped in this limbo forever. He kicked out at Leo’s desk and the book that was laying on top, fell to the floor.

Leo’s brow furrowed as he bent to pick it up. _Raph…?_


	5. Pieces

Raph watched as Leo bent to pick up the book from the floor. Man, how he wanted to smack his older brother at that moment!  “You’re lucky I can’t hit you, Leo!” He shouted. There was no need to monitor his voice, no one was going to hear him anyways. He growled as Leo moved back to the mat he usually mediated on and settled down with the book. It looked at first like he was reading it, which only served to infuriate Raph more. “I can’t believe you’re just gonna sit there and calmly read after what Mikey told you!”

He moved forward and the pages of the book came into view. All his anger melted away in that moment. In his brother’s lap was an old photo album, one he hadn’t seen in years. As Leo slowly flipped the pages, Raph could see water stains on a lot of the pages. It had obviously been one they’d rescued from the old lair after it was destroyed. Leo paused and ran his fingers over a particular photo. It was of him and Raph when they were young. Both were covered in chocolate cake. Raph frowned. “Leo…?”

The tiniest of smiles played across Leonardo’s mouth at the memory the photo invoked. A birthday party for his hot-headed brother that had turned into a food fight. He let out a shuddering breath. “I don’t know what to believe anymore, Raph. If I just had one clue to go on, I could…” He sighed again, clenching his eyes shut. “You always helped me decide. You pushed me, made me question things, made me think.”

“You don’t need me to do that stuff, bro. You do it on your own all the time. I just push ya, because somebody’s gotta. Otherwise, your head would get too big.” Raph looked down at the album, the same memory floating through his mind. “Even way back then, you was always strategizin’.”

Leo snapped the book closed with a pop. _Don thinks he’s dead, because the odds are so small that he lived._ _Mikey thinks he’s alive, because he says he saw him. And Master Splinter isn’t sure. I’ve got nothing solid to go on!_ He let out a small growl of frustration and looked around the empty room.   _Maybe…_ “Raph, are you there?”

“Yeah, bro. I’m here.” Raph reached out to put his hand on Leo’s arm.

The elder turtle looked down at the sudden cold spot on his arm. “Raph, if that’s you, can you do something like you did with Mikey? Can you show me you’re here?”

Raph looked around the room. Leo’s bedroom was sparse compared to the rest of them, maybe even more than Splinter’s. He didn’t have a radio or a lamp. He didn’t have papers and pencils and knickknacks scattered around like Mikey. And of course, the overhead light was off, because he’d been mediating prior to Mikey’s intrusion. The only thing at Raph’s disposal were the candles surrounding the meditation mat.

Raph frowned. “Alright, Leo. I’m gonna give this a try. But I got no idea if it’ll work.” He swiped at the flames of two candles sitting near him. The first two times nothing happened, causing his frustration to grow. “Come on!” A third swipe and the flames flickered. Unfortunately, Leo wasn’t looking in that direction when it happened. “Pay attention, Leo!” Raph snapped his anger rising again. This time he made sure Leo was looking in his direction, when he made the flame flicker.

Leo frowned as he watched the flames of two candle’s flicker, while none of the others did. If this was Raph, it was still a very sketchy signal. His shoulder’s sagged, still very unsure. He set aside the album. “I’m going to meditate.” He stated out loud. If Raph was there, maybe he could find him on the astral-plane.

Raph groaned. “Master Splinter already tried that.” But what other option did he have? Raph settled into meditation pose beside him. Maybe Leo would be different.

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Mikey paced back and forth across the dojo, swinging his hands and arms animatedly. He knew he’d repeated the story to their father at least five times. But Splinter continued to stare at him with pity. Finally, Mikey spun on him, falling to his knees in front of him. “Please, Father, listen to me. I saw him!”

Splinter reached across the space between them to squeeze his son’s hand.  “Calm yourself, my son.”

Mikey’s expression dropped. “I’m not making this up. I saw him. He’s alive. I know it.”

Splinter had been watching his youngest son while he’d rambled and reenacted what had happened. He’d allowed him to continue for some time, looking for mistakes in the repeating of the story or something that indicated it was a trick of the mind. But he’d shown none of those signs. As a matter-of-fact, each rendition had been nearly the same and each time he’d given even more detail. It was plain that he was fully convinced by what he’d seen.

“I believe you.”

Mikey lit up. “You do!”

Splinter rubbed his long chin. “Yes, but what you say also worries me.”

“What do you mean? I saw Raph and that means he’s alive.” Mikey paused watching the old rat intently. “Right?”

“That is not an absolute. He could have become a yūrei.”

Mikey frowned. “A what?”

“A wandering, vengeful spirit. It is said that the last thought of a person can create such a being, if the last thought is that of vengeance or anger.”

Mikey felt a touch of panic. Raph being Raph was very likely to have had some kind of angry thought. “You mean Raph could be haunting us!”

“It could be the reason I have not been able to contact him on the astral-plane, but still feel something of his presence.”

Mikey thought this over for a long moment. “I don’t think so, Sensei. Besides the fact that, that is super creepy. I don’t think he’s dead. I think I’d know, you know? I’d feel it. And I don’t.” Mikey sighed, now he knew what Leo had been going on about. He hadn’t allowed himself to focus on his connection to his brother, scared of what he might find. But now that he did, it wasn’t gone. He could still feel him somehow, like he was floating just at the edge of his awareness. Mikey shook his head. “No, he’s alive and we have to get him back!”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Don stepped into his lab. It no longer felt like his sanctuary. It felt like a tomb, his brother’s tomb. He felt repulsed by it. It had betrayed him – betrayed them all, especially Raph. He knew it was irrational to put such blame on an inanimate object, he just couldn’t help it. Part of him wanted to tear the place apart and rebuild it somewhere else in the lair. He just didn’t want to look at it as it was now. The last place he’d seen Raphael.

Biting his lip and fighting the turning of his stomach, he made his way to the computer. He cleared his mind of his surroundings and focused on his task. He needed to check their phone system. Mikey had both a text and a voicemail, neither of which had come through properly. It caused him to worry for multiple reasons. Their numbers were unlisted and unknown by the outside world, save a handful of allies. That left him with three likely scenarios. One, it was a simple computer glitch, which he could hunt down easily enough. Two, it was a friend trying to call in, but was being jammed on their end. Or three, it was an enemy trying to hack into their system.

As he pulled up the data logs, he frowned. There weren’t just two anomalies, but ten. Each of their phones, as well as Casey’s, seemed to have received the same strange signal. Don reached for his phone and blinked in surprise at the voicemail and text. Maybe this wasn’t some random glitch after all. Pressing the buttons to retrieve the voicemail, he listened intently. It was static, nothing more. He frowned. _Or is it?_

A slow spark of hope began to glow inside him. He quickly plugged his phone into the computer and began pulling up the programs he needed. _Static… radio… battleshell…. shell-cell…_ The pieces were falling into place and he found his body pulsing with adrenaline. Pulling the voicemail into the sound modifying program, he removed layer after layer until a faint voice could be heard. He couldn’t sit still as he pumped up the volume.

“Donnie! Donnie! I’m here! I can see you guys, but you can’t see me! I can hear you, but you can’t hear me! But I’m here! I’m alive! Bro, this isn’t your fault! It was my own stupidity! Please Donnie, you gotta help me! I gotta get out of here! There’s this weirdo creepin’ around the lair and….” The message was cut off and Donnie thought he might have a panic attack.

“Raph!” Half of him was thrilled, but the other half was scared to death for his brother’s safety. Where was he? What was happening to him? How could they get him back? There were so many questions and not nearly enough answers. But one thing was certain, Raph was alive!

He turned and sprinted out of the lab. “Leo!”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Leo struggled more than normal to center himself and allow his mind to find its way onto the astral-plane. Once there, he tried to sense Raph. In many ways, he and his brothers were even more connected than they were to Splinter. Growing up together, living together, training together, fighting together, spending nearly every waking moment together had formed a bond that was unbreakable. So, as Leo searched the astral-plane for his brother’s spirit, he was surprised to find a shadowy figure nearby. It moved and swayed. And Leo got the distinct impression it was trying to speak to him.

“I’m sorry, I can’t hear you. I don’t understand.” Was this Raph or someone else? Was it the presence Splinter had spoken of? He didn’t sense anything evil from the shadow.

Raph let out a heavy sigh. “Dang it, Leo! I’m doin’ everything I can here!” But Leo continued just to stare at him curiously. Something flickered at the edge of Raph’s vision. He jumped to his feet as he recognized it. “Sab! Are you doin’ this? Are you makin’ it so they can’t hear me?”

“I warned you not to anger me!” Sab hissed, his black body expanding into something resembling a dragon. “Now I will devour his soul!”

“No!” Raph darted into the beast’s path. “You’ll have to get through me first!” He bared his teeth, prepared to fight with everything he had.

Leo followed the shadow’s movements and it seemed to suddenly grow. When it darted across in front of him, he gasped finding a massive black creature looming over him. How had it snuck up on him? And what was it?

The blurry shadow, seemed to grow more defined. Red light blazed around it and then it turned towards him. And Leo was on his astral feet. There, looking back at him over his shoulder was Raphael. Sound was the next thing to reach his ethereal senses. “Leo! Get out of here!”

“Raph!” Leo took a step towards him, eyes wide and hand outstretched.

“Hurry, I can’t hold him for long!” Raph turned back to Sab. “I already told you to stay away from them, Sab!” He charged forward forming a mental sai in each hand. “Now, I’m gonna make you regret threatenin’ my family!” He began slashing at him. Sab hissed again, rearing back and manifesting large clawed feet. Raph gave a cry as Sab’s spiked tail swept his legs from beneath him. He caught the large clawed foot as it came crashing down on him. In a flash, Sab’s sharp teeth had dug into his arm. Raph roared in pain. The bite felt like fire.

Leo stood stunned, his mouth hanging open for a few seconds. Then his instincts kicked and he raced after his brother. “Raph!” He wasn’t about to leave him there with this thing that was threatening to eat his soul. Using his spiritual energy, he sent a blast of blue light at the creature. Sab shrieked as he was blown backwards.

“Whoa!” Raph sat up on his knees as Leo appeared beside him.

“Raphael! You’re alive!” Leo wrapped him in a tight embrace.

Raph’s heart shuddered as he felt his brother’s relief and love flow over him. But the moment didn’t last long enough as the astral-plane melted away along with Leo’s astral-image. He found himself laying on Leo’s bedroom floor, completely exhausted.

A second later, Leo snapped out his meditation, jumping to his feet. “Raph! Where’d you go!”

Raph wanted to respond, but he had no energy to. For the first time, he felt truly like sleeping. But he fought it, knowing what had happened the last time.

“Leo!” Donnie’s voice ripped through the lair, sending the leader into high alert, despite his already frenzied state.

Leo raced from his room and leapt from the upper floor to land beside Donnie, who looked both excited and pale at the same time. “Raph’s alive!” They said in unison.

Don blinked. “What? How did you-?”

“I just saw him on the astral-plane.” Leo clarified.

“I just heard him on our shell-cells.” Donnie’s eyes were bright as he grabbed his brother’s shoulders. “Leo, we can get him back!”

“Hey, what’s goin’ on?” Mikey asked as he and Splinter emerged from the dojo.

Donnie grinned at them. “Raph’s alive!”

Mikey’s eyes went wide. “You mean, you believe me!”

“Yes! Come on! I have to show you guys something!” Don turned and ran back to his lab with the others on his heels. “Listen to this!” He hit a button that played back the message Raph had left him. “He left a message for all of us!” Don explained excitedly. This was first true proof that their brother was alive.

Leo and Mikey stood with wide eyes, while Splinter seemed to grow old in an instant. A tear trickled from one eye. “My son…”

“So, what do we do now?” Mikey looked from one brother to the other. “How do we get him back?”

Don frowned. “I’m still working on that. Before I can do anything, I need another transporter device. It would be faster, if I had one already made. But I can build one, if I have Triceraton parts. I could even modify it some to fit our needs.”

Mikey groaned. “Where we gonna get that? They cleaned up the mess the Triceratons left.”

“The Utrom Shredder cleaned it up, which means there is one place we can still find what we need.” Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Foot Headquarters.”

Don gave a solemn nod. “If we’re planning on breaking into Foot Headquarters again, we’re going to need to make it as stealthy as possible. In and out. No hang ups. Time could may not be on our side. Also, we don’t have Raph to back us up either, so we don’t need to get caught.”

“We need to find a way to communicate with Raph and let him know what we’re doing. I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to him on the astral-plane. I only saw him for an instant.”

Splinter raised a brow. “You were able to make contact with him?”

Leo frowned. “Yes, but there was something else there. This creature… I’m not sure how to explain it, but it was evil. It was going to attack me and Raph tried to stop it, but it bit him.”

“A creature?” Don’s brow furrowed in confusion.

Leo nodded and looked at Splinter. “It must have been what was blocking you, Master. I think the only reason I could see through the vail it was trying to put between us was that Raph was making it focus on him, rather than me.” He looked back at his brothers. “The weird thing is, he seemed to know it. He even called it by name – Sab or something like that.”

Don rubbed his chin. “Strange… After I listened to the message Raph left for me, I did some analysis on the frequency and I assumed based on the data that he had basically phased out of our dimension into a void between the dimensions as there was no set destination for him when he was transported. This creature must exist there too, but the only way it could be there is if it was trapped like Raph.”

Splinter was catching on. “You believe someone placed it there to keep it from harming others?”

Don nodded. “Yes, because the likelihood of an accident just like ours is nearly impossible.”

Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Which means, if it was forced into the void, then Raph is in serious danger.”


	6. Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kudos and comments! You keep me going! Please forgive any glaring errors, I only gave this one quick edit through.

It felt like his body weighed an actual ton as Raph pushed himself off the floor and made for the stairs. Every step was exhausting. He didn’t know what Sab had done to him, but whatever it was it had nearly drained him dry. Nonetheless, he wanted to be with his brothers. He needed to know what they were doing. He’d just reached the bottom of the stairs when he heard Leo speaking.

“Raph is in serious danger.”

Raph sank heavily to the floor beside the stairs, his legs refusing to carry him any further.

Mikey’s voice was slightly panicked. “Then what are we waiting for! We gotta hurry and get that transporter thing!”

Leo’s voice was steady and calm when he spoke again. “Mikey, it’s still daylight outside right now. We have to wait for the cover of dark. In the meantime, I suggest we all get some sleep. I know I for one haven’t been sleeping well the past two days and I know you two haven’t either. We’ll be of no good to Raph, if we’re caught for being sloppy because of lack of sleep. Don, do you think you could fix something up so we can talk to Raph?”

“Yeah, I can probably rig a radio to pick up the frequency he’s using without much trouble.”

Raph sighed. _It would be nice to talk to ‘em._ He looked down at his arm. Although there was no sign of toothmarks, it still hurt. He wondered if it was some sort of phantom pain. He laid back, his body relaxing with the knowledge his family was only a few feet away. Without realizing it he began to slip into slumber. Just before he did, he heard Mikey ask softly.

“Do you think I could hear Raph’s message for me?”

Don smiled sadly at his younger brother. “Yeah, Mikey. Come here.” He turned to plug Mikey’s phone into the computer and pull up the voice mail.

Leo took an almost hesitant step forward. “It might be wise for us all to listen to our messages. They might give us more information.”

Leo was using the pretense of getting more information as a way to hear his own message. But he couldn’t hide the look in his eye, that said all he wanted was to hear Raph’s voice. And Donnie couldn’t blame him. The sound of their brother’s voice was a solid thread of hope they could all cling to. Don gave his older brother the same sad smile. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

“Me first though!” Mikey sat in Don’s rolling chair.

The genius gave his shoulder a squeeze as he reached around to use the mouse to pull the file. He adjusted the audio filter and pressed play.

“Hey, Mikey! I’m here! I’m alive! I can see you guys and hear ya!” Raph growled in frustration. “I don’t know why you can’t me.” There was a heavy sigh. “But I promise, I’m here. I ain’t left you, bro. I just gotta find a way to tell ya that. I know you’re sad and it’s ‘cause of me. I’ll make it up to you when I get back, little brother.” The message ended and Mikey took in a deep shuddering breath. It had been a long time since Raph had called him that and the endearment wasn’t lost on him.

Don’s hand tightened on Mikey’s shoulder. “We’re going to get him back, Mikey.”

“Yeah, I know.” Mikey let out another heavy breath. As much as it felt good to hear Raph’s voice, it still made some part of him ache inside – like a ball of dread knotting in his stomach. He pushed back from the desk, trying to keep a steady expression as he turned to the others. “I think I’ll go try to catch a few more hours of sleep.”

“I think that is wise, my son.” Splinter smiled warmly at him as he left the room.

Leo moved towards the desk and Don put out his hand for his phone. “I’ll need your shell-cell. I never built in a redundancy for voicemail onto my hard-drive.” He frowned. “Never thought I’d need it. But I think it might be a project I’ll take up once we get Raph back.”

Leo frowned as well. “I’ll get it. I left it on the couch.”

Don nodded as he left and turned to Splinter. “Do you want to listen to your message, Sensei?”

Splinter pulled his shell-cell from his robe. “Yes.” He would have had no idea how to check for a voicemail, but Raphael had obviously had something to say to him to leave one. He handed the device over to Donatello, who plugged it into the computer.

A few clicks of the mouse and Raphael’s voice filled the space once more. “Sensei, I don’t even know if you can check your messages. And if you can’t, better get Donnie to teach you.” Raph sounded tired and frustrated. “I’ve left messages for everybody else, I guess I was hopin’ you’d get this one too. I wanted to tell you that you did see me on the astral-plane, but Sab did somethin’. He made it so you didn’t know it was me somehow. I don’t know what he is, but he creeps me out. I told ‘im to get lost, but he keeps comin’ back.” There was another heavy sigh. “I could use some of your wisdom right now, Father. I feel so helpless….If….If I don’t get out of this place I’m stuck in…I just…I love ya, Sensei.”

The message ended and Splinter stared at the computer as if it had taken his son from him. His fists tightened in his lap. “We will bring you home, my son.”

“Yes, we will.” Leo said from behind them.

Splinter stood and stepped towards the door. “I believe I will rest as well. Knowing that Raphael is alive has put my spirit at ease somewhat.”

Leo merely nodded as their father left them. He stepped forward and handed Don his phone. He frowned, averting his eyes. “Donnie, do you think I could…?”

“You want to be alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, but promise me you’ll get some sleep afterwards too.” Leo nodded and Don plugged in the phone, setting up the message. “Just hit play when you’re ready.”

Leo slipped into the rolling chair as Don quietly left the room. He bit his lip, a mixture of uncertainty, guilt, and irrational fear bubbling up inside him. What would Raph say? Was he angry with him for what happened? It was his fault. He’d caused the power surge by messing with the toaster.  _Stupid toaster!_ In Leo’s opinion they should all be taken out and crushed in a trash compactor.

He pushed down the unwanted emotions and reached out for the mouse.

“Leo! You’re right, I’m still here! I saw you throw the phone down! You got to hear me, bro! This is completely nuts! I can see and hear you guys, but you can’t me! But I am here! I ain’t dead, Leo! Tell Don and Mikey! I’m still here! Ya gotta do somethin’! I ain’t no good at this weird sci-fi stuff, you know that!” There was a frustrated growl. “Man, I don’t even know if you’re gonna get this. I just want to say.… I’m sorry, Leo. I never meant to hurt ya. I-.” The message cut off.

Leo stared at the computer screen and the program that displayed his brother’s voice in rising and falling hills. How had he let this happen? He was supposed to protect them. He was their big brother. He was their leader. _It doesn’t matter how it happened! It’s still my fault! I’m sorry, Raph. I’m so sorry._ The screen blurred and a single tear streamed down his cheek to fall on the desk. _Somehow, we’re going to get you back, Raphie. I swear it!_

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Raph didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep until he was awakened by the cries of strange animals. He sat up, rubbing his head, wondering just how long he’d been out. He looked around him and froze. He was back in that strange world of Sab’s. “Ah, crud.”

He stood slowly. Although he still felt weak, he felt far better than he had when he’d fallen asleep. In the distance, he spotted smoke. _I wonder if that mystic can get me home again_. Checking his surroundings, he was relieved not to see Sab anywhere. He didn’t exactly want to deal with that creep at the moment. Picking his way through the blackened earth and rocks, he began to slowly make his way towards the smoke rising into the red sky. Finally, he came to a stop near a hut. It was built low to the ground out of rocks, mud, and straw. It reminded him of huts he’d seen in photos at the natural history museum. It made him wonder if these people could help him if they were so primitive. He sighed. Well, it was worth a try anyways.

As he approached the hut, the mystic he’d seen earlier appeared. He no longer wore heavy armor, but wore the dried pelt of some poor animal. He rushed at Raph, swinging his glowing sword. “Be gone demon! How dare you intrude on my home!”

Raph jumped aside. “Wait! Give me a chance to talk to ya! I need your help!”

The man snorted, causing puffs of air to come out his upturned nostrils. “Help? You’re a demon! You’re a trickster!”

“No, I ain’t neither of those things!” He looked down at his hands. “I got stuck like this. I don’t wanna be here. I wanna get home to my family.”

Something in Raph’s voice and demeanor seemed to catch the man’s attention. “You were here with the other. He is evil.”

Raph huffed. “Yeah, don’t I know it. He attacked me.”

The man lowered his sword. “He attacked you?”

“Yeah, he was gonna hurt my brother. I tried to fight ‘im, but he bit me.” Raph rubbed his arm absently, still feeling the lingering of the phantom pain.

The man slid the glowing sword into its sheath. “I am Kamdul of the mystic tribe Trazifor.”

Raph frowned. “My name’s Raphael of the, uh, Hamatos.”

“What is it you wish of me, Raphael of the Hamatos?”

“You sent me home last time when I was here. I need you to do it again. I don’t belong in this world. I’ve gotta get back to my own dimension.”

“I used the fire stones to send you away before. I can do it again. But I want something in return.”

Raph frowned. “Look fella, it ain’t like I got somethin’ to give ya. And it ain’t like you could hold anything I gave ya either.”

“That is not what I desire.” Kamdul scowled, making the lines in his face even deeper. “I wish you to kill the evil one.”

“You mean Sab?” Raph raised an eye-ridge. “You want me to kill Sab?”

Kamdul walked to the fire pit and sat cross-legged beside it. “He is known by many names here. The name you apparently know him by is Sabazios. He once ruled our world many millennia ago, through death and destruction.”

Raph settled on the ground across from him. “Wow, he must be really old.”

Kamdul’s hand rose to grasp a stone around his neck. “The mystics were able to banish him and seal him away. They had thought him gone for some time. But he has begun to reappear, trying to resurrect himself from his banishment into the void. Our world is already wrought with war, we need not his interference. He will only bring further death to our people.”

Raph frowned. “But I ain’t got no idea how to kill ‘im.”

“The fire stones can do it.”

“What are fire stones?”

Kamdul pulled the stone from his neck and his sword. “These are fire stones. They came to us from the heavens. They carry the power to kill beings such as Sabazios.”

Raph looked at the sword. It seemed to glow a white-hot fire at it center. He frowned. “But I don’t have any of those. And you can’t exactly give me yours.”

“You should no need of these. Legend claims that when Sabazios was banished, he possessed one such stone in his scepter.”

Raph’s brow furrowed. “Scepter? I ain’t seen no scepter. Sab ain’t even got arms.”

Kamdul stood. “Then I have no reason to help you.”

Raph jumped up. “Wait! You gotta send me home! My family their gonna be worried about me! They just found out I was alive! I can’t be stuck here!”

Kamdul snorted and started to walk away. As far as he was concerned the conversation was over. This creature had nothing to offer him.

“Stop!” Raph rushed forward blocking his path. “Look, I may not have seen it, but that don’t mean I can’t find it. And if I can’t find it, I’ll still do my best to kill ‘im. I ain’t that found of ‘im myself.”

Kamdul’s eyes narrowed. “And if you fail?”

“I’ll never bother you again, I swear.”

Kamdul pulled his sword. “Think of the place you desire to be and touch the blade.”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

“Guys!” April shouted as she stepped through the lair’s entrance. She was a little surprised to find the lair so quiet. It was almost sunset outside and normally their friends were up by now.

“Babe, come on! There ain’t nothin’ goin’ on!” Casey pleaded as he followed her in.

She spun on him. “Casey just stop it! I know somethings up!” She turned back to stomp into the center of the living room. “Guys!”

Splinter was the first to appear. He stepped through his door looking haggard and worried. “April, is there something wrong?”

She frowned. “Not that I know of – yet.” She glanced at Casey, who squirmed. “But I know there’s something going on.”

Leo, Don, and Mikey appeared on the upper level. They all exchanged worried looks before descending the stairs. April approached them, her fists balled at her side. “What is going on! I want to know right now!”

Leo glanced at Casey and the vigilante waved his hands. “I didn’t tell her nothin’. I swear, Leo.”

The redhead growled. “Somebody better tell me what’s going on or so help me-!”

Donnie slowly took a step forward and took her hand, leading her towards the couch. “You better sit down, April. This is a long story.”

A little while later, April sat staring at everyone. “So, Raph is…missing?”

“Well, not exactly missing.” Leo tried to clarify. “He is here. We just can’t see or hear him.”

“But you know for sure he’s alive.” The hope in Casey’s voice was tangible.

“Yeah, he left us all messages on our phones.” Mikey gestured at his eldest brother. “And Leo saw him on the astral-plane.”

April frowned. “So, how do we get him back?”

Don raised a finger. “Well, the first thing we need to do is get another transporter device.”

“Which means we’re going to have to sneak into Foot headquarters again.” Leo continued.

April shook her head. “Guys, that’s not such a great idea. Remember what happened last time.”

“We won’t be there to face Shredder this time and we won’t have to go far, just to their R&D floor. We’re going to make this as swift and stealthy as possible.”

Casey stood up. “You’re a man down, so I’m comin’.”

“Great, we’ve got the hot-head department filled now.” Mikey snipped behind him.

Leo rubbed his chin. “Actually, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea, if we run into trouble. Thanks, Casey.”

“Me and Don have been working on an EMP with a limited range. It could knock out the power to the tower, so you guys could get inside.” April suggested.

Don frowned. “We wouldn’t want to use it inside the building though. I need the Triceraton tech to still work when we get it home.” He frowned thoughtfully. “But maybe, we could just take out the power substation in the sewers. It’ll knock out the block, but it would give us plenty of time to get in and get out.”

“Awesome!” Mikey cheered. “Now that we have a plan, let’s get going!”

Leo stood calmly. “Wait, Mikey. There’s one other thing we need to do before we leave. We need to make sure Raph knows what we’re doing.”

Splinter looked around them. The lair had seemed strangely empty when he’d woken earlier and now he knew why. “I have not sensed Raphael’s presence in some time.”

Leo fought to restrain the panic that swept over him. He looked around as well. “Raph, are you here? Did you hear the plan?” He scanned the room for any sign of – well, Raph.

Don’s eyes grew wide. “Raph?” He snapped his fingers. “The radio!” He ran off to his lab to return a few moments later with his old stereo. He tuned in a solid station. “Come on, Raph, make it static like you did before.” But there was no response. The station continued to play smoothly.

Mikey paled. “Guys, where is he?”


	7. Mission One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry for the late update. But things have been kind of rough for me lately. I promise to update when I can though.

Leo looked up at Splinter. “Master, if he was hurt on the astral-plane, do you think he’s still hurt?”

Splinter shook his head slightly. “I do not believe so. Normally an injury in the mind is just that - in the mind.”

Leo was still worried. He’d seen Sab bite him and heard his brother cry out in pain. “But that creature, Sab. We don’t know what he is. Could he affect both the astral-plane and reality?”

“I have never heard of such an occurrence before.” But Splinter could not deny the fact that he did not sense even the slightest bit of Raphael’s aura.

Mikey was shaking a little. “What do we do?”

Don frowned down at the stereo. “We make it easier for him to communicate. I can rig a microphone to pick up low frequencies like the one Raph’s cell signal came in on. I can hook it through a handheld radio to make it easier for us to use.” He stood up and started for his lab without discussing it further.

April hurried after him. “I’ll help you, Don.”

Don smiled warmly. “Thanks, April.”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

“I think I’m gonna hurl.” Raph grumbled, sitting up on the floor. This time instead of feeling like he’d been punched, he’d been swept up in a tornado-like wind funnel that had twirled him around violently before dropping him back in the lair. It had still taken his breath away, but didn’t leave his chest sore like before.

He looked up to see three of his brothers and Casey sitting around on the couch, floors, and chairs. Splinter hovered just behind Michelangelo’s chair. They were all quiet. Way too quiet for Raph’s taste. Pushing himself to his feet, he slowly made his way towards them.

“What’s with the faces? What’s goin’ on?”

Of course, no one responded to him, except for Klunk. The feline was perched on the back of the couch and lifted his head when Raph spoke. He hopped off and went to rub himself on Raph’s leg only to fall over. Raph couldn’t help the small smile. “Well, at least you can see me, eh Kluk?” He wiggled his fingers over the cat and Klunk swiped at them playfully.

Leo watched the orange cat roll around as if he was playing with something. He raised an eye-ridge. “Hey, Mikey, what do you make of that?” He angled his chin at Klunk.

Everyone looked in the cat’s direction and Mikey slowly stood. “He sees something!”

Splinter rubbed his long chin. “It is said that a cat can see beyond the physical realm.”

“Ya think it could be Raph?” Casey was standing as well now.

Raph smirked down at Klunk. “It took the boneheads long enough to notice.”

“Hey, if that’s you, Raph, can you make Klunk jump on Casey?” Mikey laughed when Klunk shot at Casey, nearly knocking him over.

Leo let out a heavy sigh. “Thank goodness. We were worried about you, Raph.”

Don and April appeared. He looked around at the relieved faces of his family. “What happened?”

“Raphael is here now.” Splinter settled into the chair Mikey had abandoned a few moments earlier.

Relief washed over Don’s face, followed by anticipation. “That’s good! Let’s try this low frequency communicator out.” He set a small Walkman like device on the coffee table and pressed a button. “Okay, Raph try to talk into it.”

Raph frowned at the device. “I feel kinda weird talkin’ into this little box, Don.”

A cheer went through the room. Mikey pumped a fist in the air. “Alright!”

“Yes, we can hear you!” Leo grinned brightly for the first time in what felt like ages.

April hugged Donnie. “You did it!” She turned back to the box. “It’s great to hear your voice, Raph.”

“It’s great to be heard.” Raph’s voice was coming in pretty clear, though it sounded as if he was far away.

“Raphael, are you injured?” Splinter’s ears turned back as he waited for the reply.

“No, I’m okay. I ain’t gonna say what Sab did didn’t hurt me, but whatever it was it was temporary.” Raph absently rubbed at his arm, which no longer hurt.

Leo frowned. “Are you sure, Raph?” He’d seen the creature’s brutal attack on his brother.

“I’m fine, Leo. I promise. ‘Sides that was on the astral-plane.”

“Does he only exist there?” Leo was a bit confused. He’d assumed based on Raph’s message that Sab was also real, not just some spirit creature.

“No. His ugly butt’s real enough. I’ve chased him out of the lair a few times now.”

There was silence for a moment and Don knelt near the communicator. “Hey, Raph?”

“Yeah, Don.”

Don let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry this happened. But we’re going to get you back. I swear.”

Raph laid a hand on Don’s shoulder. “This wasn’t your fault, bro. I know better than go pokin’ my beak around your lab.”

Don glanced at the cold spot on his shoulder and gave a small nod. Raph’s words helped to alleviate some of the guilt that had built up so much inside him.

“Speaking of getting him back, we should be going.” Leo stood, slipping his katana into his belt.

“Goin’? Where?” Raph demanded.

“Donnie needs another one of those Triceraton transporter devices. The only place that might have one is Foot headquarters.” Leo stepped around the coffee table and towards the sewer entrance.

“What!” The radio squeaked with Raph’s roar. “No way! You guys are not goin’ up against the Foot for…this!” Raph gestured at himself, even though no one could see him.

“It’s the only way.” Leo turned to look at the space he hoped his brother occupied.

“Once I get it, we can probably reverse what happened to you.” Don explained. “Maybe open a portal of some kind. But I need either the device or parts to make one.”

“Then I’m comin’ too!” Raph declared. There was no way in the world he was going to let his brothers deal with the Foot without him, because of something stupid he’d done.

Leo’s expression hardened. “Absolutely not! There’s no telling how dangerous it could be out there for you!”

“I’m comin’! And there ain’t nothin’ you can do about it! I can just follow you, ya know!”

Leo glared, feeling odd not knowing exactly where to be glaring. “Raph!”

Mikey grinned. “Hey, that could be cool! He’d be like the Invisible Turtle!” Casey’s hand smacked the back of his head and he rubbed it. “Ow!”

There was a rough chuckle through the communicator. “Thanks, Case-man.”

Don looked up at Leo. “You know, I hate to agree with Mikey, but he does have a point.”

“What?” Leo blinked at him dumbfounded.

“Raph could be an asset. Nobody will be able to see or hear him.”

“Yeah!” Mikey agreed eagerly. “He’d be like the ultimate stealth ninja!”

“And he can report back to us without being noticed.” Don pointed out.

Leo dragged a hand down his face. “Fine.” He looked back down at the box. “Can you keep up with us?”

Raph snorted. “Of course, I can!”

Don stood, shouldering the old duffle bag that now held the EMP device. “April, leave everything electronic you have here.”

She nodded, setting her phone and watch on the coffee table. “I’ll come back here once I set it off. That way if you need me, you can reach me.”

“Alright, let’s go.” Leo turned again, leading the way out into the passage beyond.

Sometime later the team came to a stop beside a juncture where the power substation was locked inside a cage like structure. Mikey frowned. “Do we need to break in?”

Don shook his head. “No.” He pulled the small EMP from his bag and handed it April. “It doesn’t have to be in contact, just within range.”

“And what’s it’s range?” Leo looked back at them over his shoulder from where he was keeping watch.

“Approximately fifty feet.” April responded.

“It should disable anything that runs on electricity within that range. We designed it to be used for a surgical strike, which I believe this qualifies.” Don looked at April. “Give us about ten minutes, so we can be in position before you turn it on.”

She nodded and Casey squeezed her shoulder, offering her a small reassuring smile. “Good luck.” She half whispered as the others disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel. April counted off the minutes which seemed to crawl by and then laid the EMP on the ground closest to the cage. She took a deep breath, hoping she’d waited long enough, before flipping the switch.  There was a ten second delay, just long enough for her step back a few paces. She watched as the lights in the tunnel surrounding her went out. She groaned into the now darkness around her. “Well, bringing a candle might have been a good idea.”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

The sound of four pair of feet splashing through the sewer was both familiar and unsettling to Leo. He turned to look at his brothers and Casey as they came to a stop beneath Foot headquarters. He opened his mouth to ask Don about the EMP, when the lights flickered around them and went out. _That answers that._ He glanced down at the box hooked to Don’s belt. “You still with us, Raph?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, let’s go!” Leo hoped up and pushed aside a grate that led into the Foot’s subbasement. Normally this area would be covered with cameras and sensors, but with the electricity off it made for quick and easy access to the building.

As they each climbed up, Don spoke up again. “We only have a minute and a half before the generators kick on.”

Leo pulled off a vent cover. “Then let’s make this fast.” He led the way into the small passage, finding the shaft that climbed upwards. Casey brought up the rear grumbling about not fitting in the space. Raph, although unseen, followed after all of them.

“Which floor, Donnie?” Leo asked from above.

“Tenth.” The genius responded from just below him.

“Aw, man! You mean we gotta climb ten floors this way!” Casey’s voice was way too loud, causing the three brothers above him to hush him. It took several minutes to reach the floor where research and development was and once they had the electricity had already been restored by the onsite generators.

Leo squinted through the vent into the room beyond, but his line of sight was mostly blocked by shelves. “Raph, can you scope it out for us?”

“On it.” Raph’s voice crackled somewhat loudly out of the box and Donnie hurried to turn down the volume. A second later Leo felt the brush of cold air as Raph half crawled past him and half crawled through him to jump down into the large room beyond. Raph crept forward until he remembered no one could see him.

The room was filled with components from the Triceraton ships and shelves lined with different tech items that Raph could only guess at. Three scientist were huddled around a table at the far end and there were two guards posted at each of the two entrances into the room. Also, the room had four cameras, one in each corner. Walking back to where his brothers hid, he spoke a little louder to make sure he was received by the communicator. “We got four guards, two posted at each end. There’s three scientists lookin’ creeps at the other end too. And four cameras, one in each corner.”

“Did you see a transporter device?” Don asked trying to see around Leo.

“No.”

“Did you even look for it, bro?” Mikey quipped.

“There’s so much crap in here, it’d take me forever to look through everything.” Raph half growled back in annoyance.

“Well, it would be easier if you looked for it first. Then we could just sneak out and grab it.” Leo pointed out.

Raph snorted. “You’re gonna be waitin’ in there for a while then.”

Leo sighed. “Alright, can you give us some cover somehow?”

Raph looked up at the camera that was closest to them and had the clearest shot of the air vent. “Yeah, I can.”

“What are you going to do?” Donnie suddenly felt concerned. He hoped Raph wasn’t planning something rash.

“I’m just gonna short out this camera.” Raph moved towards the electrical wire that hung from the wall.

Donnie squeezed up beside Leo. “Like you did the Battleshell?”

“Yeah.”

Leo and Don exchanged a look. Leo frowned. “Be careful.”

“I’m just gonna do it for second, till boy-genius gets over here and cuts it off.”

Leo’s frown intensified, but he set his jaw. “Alright, say when.”

Raph frowned as well. He remembered sticking his hand in the radio and trying to disrupt the electrical systems in the Battleshell. He also remembered it hurt and they had run off the Battleshell’s battery. This was likely going to hurt a lot worse as it was hooked into a generator somewhere with a higher voltage. Biting his lip, he grabbed the cord. “Now!” He growled as a painful tingle shot up his arms. He could feel his muscles seizing up, even as behind him his brothers climbed swift and silent from the air vent. Donnie was suddenly beside him, cutting the cord.

Raph fell to his knees, panting. _That hurt worse than I thought it would._

Donnie glanced around him, wishing he could see his brother. “Raph!” He hissed, his chest tightening a bit.

“I’m still here, Don.” Raph replied in a soft a voice as he could manage. He was surprised when Don looked right down at him, nearly meeting his eyes.

It wasn’t that Donatello could see him, but rather sense him. “Are you okay?” Worry seeped into his voice.

Raph nodded, though he knew the motion couldn’t be seen. “Yeah, just hurt. But I’m okay.”

Relief washed over Donnie’s features, but he didn’t risk another verbal response. Instead, he glanced up at Leo, who gave him and Mikey silent signals. Leo slipped off towards one door, while Mikey crept towards the other. Within moments the four guards were taken out.

Don hurried through the dozens of shelves, quickly eliminating whole sections. The scientists the Foot employed might be eccentric and somewhat incompetent, but that didn’t mean they weren’t organized. The Triceraton tech was arranged in a fairly logical order, which made finding what he was looking for a lot easier. His heart raced as he finally spotted the triangle-shaped item. As he wrapped his fingers around the transporter device, an alarm sounded.

The gig was up.


	8. Ghost of a Chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apology for the terribly long wait on this update. I have not forgotten about this story and promise the next update will not take as long.

Karai tapped a finger against her chin. “Well?”

The Foot soldier knelt before her. “The blackout seems to cover the entire block, Mistress.”

“Turn on the generators.”

“Yes, Mistress.” The soldier bowed again and left the large thrown room.

Karai frowned. Standing, she began to pace back and forth. _Something feels off. This is no mere blackout._ Focusing inwardly, she stretched out her senses. _There! That aura!_ Her eyes snapped open. “Leonardo is here. But why?” Anger boiled inside her. How dare he intrude here after sending her father into exile!

The lights blazed to life and she hit a button on the throne that brought up the security monitors. She frowned as she flipped through the screens. Nothing seemed to be out of order, but that didn’t mean they didn’t have intruders. As she flipped back through the multiple screens, one suddenly blacked out. She half growled as she slammed her fist into the alarm. “Leonardo!” Standing, she grabbed her katana from beside her seat. The Elite Foot suddenly appeared and she waved a hand at them. “Go find them!”

They disappeared as she made for the large doors. The guards outside saluted her and one spoke. “Mistress? What would you have us do?”

“Follow me.” She started up the hall, her eyes cold. “We will rid ourselves of these turtles once and for all.”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Leo gasped when the alarm sounded. He knew they hadn’t tripped one so far, but maybe shorting out the camera was a bad idea. Throwing caution to the wind, he spun on his heels. “Donnie! Did you find it!”

Don clutched the transporter device in his hand. “Yes!”

“Then let’s get out of here!” Leo started for the vent they’d came out, only to find Casey half way out of it. He paused to glance over his shoulder at his youngest brother. “Come on, Mikey!”

The orange banded turtle darted across the room as one of the scientist pulled some sort of laser rifle on them. Mikey jumped and flipped, dodging the shots. “Be there in a sec, bro!”

“Hey!” Casey complained as Leo tried to shove him back into the vent.

“We have to go, Casey!” Leo shoved at him again.

“Move it, bonehead!” Raph’s voice crackled over the box on Don’s waist.

Casey grunted as he was shoved back into the duct. “Whoa!” He shouted as he caught himself from falling straight down the air shaft. Above him, Don scrambled into the shaft followed by Mikey then Leo.

“Let’s go!” Leo ordered.

Their decent was more a controlled fall. But it came to an abrupt halt when laser fire came from below them. Their entrance point had been discovered.

“Ah, shell!” Donnie dove into the closest side duct and reached down to yank Casey inside just a blast scorched the wall of the shaft where he’d been dangling. A split-second later Mikey and Leo joined them. “This way guys!” Don started off down the vent.

“Where are we going, Donnie?” Mikey asked from behind Casey.

“If I remember correctly,” he turned at a bend in the duct and kicked open a vent, “We should be near the elevator shaft.” The vent cover made a small rattle is it tumbled into the shaft. He gave a quick glance out to make sure the car wasn’t moving before leaping out and catching one of the elevator cables. The others followed suit and soon all four were hanging from the cables.

“Good job, Don!” Leo praised as they ambled down the ropes to land on top of the elevator car.

“What floor are we on?” Casey looked up the shaft above them.

“This is still the third floor.” Don pointed at the number beside the closed doors above them which stated the floor above was four.

“Which means we still have at least three to go before we can get out.” Leo frowned at the trap door on the car. “Raph?”

“I’m here, Leo.” Came his brother’s disembodied voice.

“See if the car is clear.”

A moment later, Raph responded. “It’s empty.”

Leo reached for the hatch, but Don stopped him. “Wait.” He grabbed a set of wires on the roof and pulled them loose. “There, now there’s no camera.”

Leo frowned. They’d already tried that, but somehow they’d been found out anyways. He refrained from pointing this out though and jumped down into the “empty” car where Raph waited unseen. Mikey started to reach for the buttons. “Hold on.” Leo turned to Donnie. “What’s the closest exit from here.”

Don frowned. “The front door.”

“Then that’s where we are headed.”

“But Leo, now that they know we are here, there are sure to be soldiers waiting for us.”

“It doesn’t matter. We need to get out of here quick. Our exit is cut off. This is the best option. The streets around here are going to still be dark, we can make a run for it. First floor, Mikey.”

“You’re the boss.” Mikey pressed the button and the car moved down. It was eerily quiet as it settled on the main floor. Everyone moved out of sight as the doors slid open.

Raph’s voice came over the communicator. “You got about a dozen foot plus little miss Karai in your way, Fearless.”

“Karai…” Leo groaned inwardly. So that was how they’d been discovered. He clutched his katana as a familiar voice came through the open doors.

“Leonardo, I know you are there. Show yourselves! Do not behave like cowards!”

“Donnie, you got anything in your bag of tricks to get us out of this one?” Mikey peeked around the edge of the door to see into the foyer beyond.

The genius did a quick mental assessment of his satchel’s contents. He frowned. “Actually, no. I had to take out a few things to make room for the EMP.”

Mikey groaned. “Oh, great.”

Leo glanced into the foyer. “It’s fine. Mikey, take out the lights. Everyone else make for the door and don’t slow down. Move on my signal.” His three companions gave affirming nods.

Karai was growing impatient. “Leonardo!”

Taking a deep breath, Leo exited the car first. “Now!” Mikey was barely a step behind, throwing several shurikens that sent the foyer into darkness.

The Foot converged on them all at once, trying to block their escape. Leo tore a path through them, leading the way towards the exit. But the path was blocked by an angry Karai. Their katanas rang as the met. “What are you doing here, Leonardo! How dare you come here after what you did to my father!”

“I’m not here to fight you, Karai!” Leo shoved her blade away.

Her sword crashed down on him again, forcing him a step back. “Then why? Have you come to steal from me again!” Leo said nothing, only growled. His silence seemed to confirm her suspicion. Her eyes narrowed. “You _have_ stolen from me! Tell me, what did you take this time!”

Leo ducked low, sweeping her leg and sending her to the floor. “Nothing you need to be concerned about. Guys, move it!”

Casey and Don rushed past Leo, leaving a plethora of bodies in their wake. Mikey was not far behind so, Leo darted after Donatello. “Coward!” Karai cried. “Come back and face me!”

Mikey started to rush past her as well, but a soldier came out of nowhere swinging an axe. “Whoa!” He ducked and countered. But the defensive measure had taken a beat too long, as Karai was able to regain her feet. Mikey gasped as he looked up to find her katana swinging in his direction.

She growled as she swung. “At least I will take out one of you!”

Unbeknownst to the Foot Mistress, Michelangelo was not as alone as he appeared. Raph had hung back, making sure his brothers got out safely. And he’d seen Karai get to her feet long before his little brother had. Anger and fear surged through him. For a moment he completely forgot, he couldn’t affect the world around him. All he knew was that his brother was in danger. Raph rushed her with every intention of body slamming her to the ground. The effect was not so grand, but it was effective. Karai gasped as if the wind had been knocked out of her and she stumbled back feeling like she’d been punched in the gut.

Mikey’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open for a moment. Raph panted from his place on the floor. That had taken a lot out of him. He shot his brother an annoyed look. “Move it, Mikey! I don’t think I can do that again!”

As if he’d heard Raph, Mikey suddenly snapped out of his stupor and raced out the front of the building. “After them!” Karai’s orders were followed immediately as the few soldiers that remained rushed into the street. When they were gone, she looked around the room. “What was that?”

Raph smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” Then he was gone, charging off into the night to regroup with his brothers and Casey.

Several blocks away, Leo landed beside Don and Casey. He frowned. “Where’s Mikey?”

“Right here, bro!” Mikey landed silently behind him.

Leo let out a breath and then glanced around once more. “Raph, you with us?” The four could have heard a pin drop in the silence that followed. Leo’s expression turned to one of concern. “Raphael?”

“He was just with me a few minutes ago.” Mikey frowned. “At least I think he was.”

Leo started to turn back the way they had come, but Don caught his arm. “What are you going to do, Leo? It’s not like you can see Raph or hear him without the communicator.”

Casey scowled. “But Raph could be in trouble!”

Leo put up a hand. “No, Don’s right. It’s not like he can be hurt or spotted. We’ll wait here. Raph knows this is where we were to regroup.”

“Don’t worry, Fearless. I’m right here.”

A collective sigh of relief went through the group at Raph’s voice. Mikey grinned. “That was pretty awesome what you did to Karai, bro.”

“Yeah, well, next time watch your shell, Mike. She coulda took your head off!”

Leo frowned. He could hear the tiredness in his brother’s voice. “You okay, Raph?”

“Fine, just glad I didn’t have to do that a second time.”

Leo gave a small nod. “Let’s head home before the Foot catch up with us.”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

“So, what do you think, Donnie?” Leo watched his brother turn the transporter device over in his hand.

“It looks intact. I’m still going to have to take it apart some in order to create an opening for Raph. I’ll have to build a low frequency generator so that-“

Leo put up his hands. “So, that means you can do it, right?”

Don sighed, cutting his explanation short. “Yes, given enough time to build what I need.”

“Alright, I can take a hint. I’ll let you work. But, Don,” Leo frowned, “try to hurry. That creature is in there with Raph. And I have a feeling it’s not very friendly.”

Don nodded. “I know.”

Leo left his genius brother to work in his lab and went to find his youngest brother. He found him in the kitchen preparing dinner. “So, you’re not hungry? At all?”

“Nope.” The little communicator sat on the table near the chair Raph normally occupied.

Mikey raised an eye-ridge. “Not even for pizza?”

Raph chuckled. “Sorry, bro. I haven’t even felt like sleepin’ ‘cept after Sab bit me.”

“What do you know about this Sab, Raph?” Leo moved to his own chair at the table.

“Not a whole lot. But when I did fall asleep for a few minutes I ended up in his dimension somehow.” Raph frowned down at his hands. “But I was the same way there too. I couldn’t really touch nothin’.”

Leo’s gaze softened. “Don’t worry. We’re going to get you out of that void. Don says the transporter should work with a few modifications. He thinks we should be able to open a doorway for you.”

It was Raph’s turn to frown. “That’ll sure attract ol’ Sab’s attention. He ain’t likely to let me out of here without ‘im.”

Mikey glanced over his shoulder in their direction. “Maybe it wouldn’t be such a big deal if he got out.”

“From what that mystic guy told me in the other dimension, it sounds like a really bad idea.”

Leo’s brow furrowed. “What mystic?”

“Okay, so there was this guy or thing or somethin’ and he says Sab used to rule his world millions of years ago or somethin’. He said they trapped him in this void because he was destroyin’ their world and stuff.”

“Did he tell you anything else? Anything useful?”

“He did tell me there’s a way to kill ‘im. There’s these rocks – the guy called ‘em fire stones. He said they can kill that slimy creep.”

“Are these fire stones something that are in there with you?”

“Nah, I ain’t seen nothin’ like ‘em in here or in our dimension either. But the guy did say Sab had some kinda scepter with them in it when he was banished.”

“A scepter, huh?” Leo rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Well, if it isn’t in there with Raph, then it has to be here somewhere, right?” Mikey closed the oven and turned around to face Leo and Raph’s disembodied voice.

Leo shook his head in dismay. “I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s going to be wise to open that doorway unless Raph or we have some way to fight that creature off.”

“Leo, I think if Sab gets out, he’s gonna be even stronger than he is in here.”

Raph’s tone held caution which his brother picked up on quickly. “Why do you say that?”

“When he bit me, even though it was on the astral-plane, I still felt it when I came out of meditation. I don’t know exactly what he is, but he’s strong, bro.”

Leo was very concerned now. If this Sab had a way to affect both the real world and the astral-plane, then he was indeed a powerful creature. “We need to find those fire stones. Can you describe them?”

Raph thought back to mystic’s necklace and sword. “The two I saw were kinda long and slender. They were both clear, ‘cept for their centers - they were glowin’.”

Mikey sat at the table. “Glowing?”

“Yeah, I don’t know how else to explain it. It was like there was a real fire inside ‘em.”

Mikey turned to Leo. “What kind of stones glow?”

Leo’s frown had returned. “They’re not like the crystals we found here when we moved in?”

“No.” Raph let out a heavy sigh. “I wish I could draw ya a picture or somethin’.”

“Would you recognize it, if you saw it?”

“Sure.”

Mikey snapped his fingers. “I’ll be right back!” He rushed out of the room to return a few moments later with one of Don’s books. “This is the book Donnie was looking at when he was trying to figure out what those crystals were.”

You could hear the frown in Raph’s voice. “And how’s that gonna help, Mike?”

Mikey thumbed through the book. “Well, if we figure out _what_ it is, then maybe we can figure out _where_ it is.”

Leo was skeptical, but it wasn’t as if they had any other leads. “Let’s not get our hopes up. Most of Donnie’s books are out of date.”

“I don’t think it matters in this case.” Raph glanced around to be certain they were alone. “Sab’s been trapped in here a really long time.”

Leo gave a small nod. “Alright.” The three settled down to peruse the thick anthology of stones, crystals, and mineralogy.


	9. Mission Two

Leo yawned and glanced at Mikey where he’d fallen asleep at the table, which was now stacked with at least another half dozen books. Nearby their empty plates were stacked, ready to be washed. They had been at this for close to three hours with nothing much to show for it. “None of these look like it either.” Raph’s voice continued to crackle through the communicator.

Leo sighed. “Maybe you’re tired, Raph. I know I am. We should take a break. Besides I don’t think we have any more books on mineralogy.”

Raph sighed as well. “Yeah, looks like sleepin’ beauty here needs some rest.”

Leo smiled and shook his head slightly, before reaching to shake his brother’s shoulder. “Hey, Mikey. Why don’t you head to bed? I’ll clean up.”

Mikey lifted his head and blinked at him drowsily. “What?” He glanced at the still open book. “Did you find it?”

“No, and they’re all startin’ to look the same to me. This ain’t workin’.”

Mikey frowned at the little box with Raph’s voice. “But we can’t quit! We gotta find those stones!” He pointed at the book. “Look, we can at least finish this one before we throw in the towel for the night.”

Leo rubbed his forehead with a mixture of exasperation and exhaustion. “Mikey-“

“Wait a minute! Mikey, go back!”

Mikey had started to flip through the pages again, so he went back a page. “Did you see somethin’, Raphie?”

“Right there! It looks like it, but it’s a different color.”

Leo looked down at the page. “Which one?”

“It’s the one that says Clinohumite.” Leo put his finger on a particular picture. “Yeah, that one! ‘Cept it was clear and white and maybe a little blue.”

Leo picked up the book to better read the description beneath the photo. He whistled. “Wow, it says that this kind of stone is extremely rare. Most are this color of yellow, orange, or red, but a very few are white or clear. If this is the stone we are looking for, it’s going to be locked up somewhere tight.”

Mikey took the book from him. “Well, we need to find out how far along Don is anyways. He might know where to find it.”

Leo made a face, but snatched up the communicator and hurried after his excitable brother. He caught up in time to enter the lab together. On Don’s workbench stood a three foot tall pole looking device, which their genius brother was currently wiring.

“What’s that?” Mikey started to touch it and Don absently slapped his hand away.

“It’s a frequency enhancing nodule.” His brothers gave him a blank look and Don sighed. “When Raph passes through them it will enhance and shift his frequency more inline with our dimension. Used in combination with the teleporter’s molecular stabilizer it should act like a doorway and let him fully re-enter this dimension – in theory of course.”

Leo eyed the triangular pole like device. “Does that mean you’re already done?”

Don was quick to shake his head. “No, I have to build a second one and then connect them to the Triceraton teleporter.”

“And how long will that take?”

“Several more hours, I’m afraid. This is delicate work. I need to make sure everything is exact, otherwise…”

Mikey frowned. “Otherwise, what?”

“Instead of allowing Raph to rematerialize in our dimension, it could disintegrate him.”

Both Mikey and Leo’s eyes widened at the terrible prospect, but Raphael’s voice came over the little box in Leo’s hand. “Then I’m glad you’re the one that’s doin’ all this. I trust ya. I know you can bring me back, bro.”

Donnie frowned, his gaze dropping to the floor. “You wouldn’t even be like this, if it weren’t for me.”

Raph growled. “We already talked about that! This ain’t your fault! And if you say it again, when I get back I’m gonna pound ya!” His voice dropped slightly. “Ya got that, Brainiac?”

Donnie couldn’t help the small smile. “Yeah, I got it.”

“Good. Now, tell ‘im about the stones, Leo.”

Don’s brow furrowed. “Stones?”

“Raph has been telling us about this Sab character. He, uh, phased into his dimension and was told that something called firestones can kill him.” Leo started to explain.

Don’s eyes widened. “You went to his dimension, Raph? How did you-?”

“I’ll explain it to you later, Donnie. The how ain’t important. We need to find these stones before we open the doorway. Sab ain’t gonna let me go through without ‘im.”

Mikey turned the book around and pointed at the specific stone. “Raph said it looks sorta like these, but white at the center and clear on the outside.”

Don took the book. “Clinohumite?” He frowned. “You’re sure, Raph?”

“Yeah, it was just a different color is all.” Raph confirmed through the communicator.

“We thought you might have an idea of how to find them?”

“The clear and white ones are extremely rare, but there are still several dozen in existence. We may need to narrow it down some more.” Donnie carried the book towards his computer. He pulled up a photo of one of the clear Clinohumite stones. “Does this look familiar?”

Raph frowned at the screen. It wasn’t exactly what he remembered. “I don’t know. It’s close, but not exactly like the one the mystic had.”

Don rubbed his chin. “If it is as close as you say, it was likely misclassified as a Clinohumite.” He swiveled in his chair to look at the box in Leo’s hand. “What else did this mystic tell you?”

“He said that Sab used to rule their world, but they banished ‘im into the void because he was destroyin’ it. Oh, and he said that Sab was short for Sabazios. And he said that he had a scepter with one of the firestones in it when he was banished.”

“Sabazios?” An expression the brothers were very familiar with crossed the genius’s face. It was the one that said he’d just discovered the answer to their problem. He spun back around and started hitting keys on his computer.

Mikey frowned. “Wanna share with the rest of the class, Don?”

By the time Mikey had asked his question, Donnie had already found what he was looking for. “Bingo!”

Leo leaned over his shoulder. “Greek Gods Exhibit?”

“Yes, we got lucky! The Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting an exhibit from Greece.”

“And?” Mikey prompted.

“Sabazios, or Sabazius, was a god worshiped in the fourth and fifth centuries B.C in large parts of Europe, in particularly in Athens. _And_ one of the pieces on display is a statue of the god Sabazius.” He indicated a photo on the screen of the statue in question, then scrolled down to another photo. “Along with the scepter of Sabazius.”

Mikey shivered as he looked at the photos. “Man, that is one ugly dude! And that staff is really creepy!”

Raph snorted. “You should see what he really looks like.”

Donnie zoomed in on the picture of the staff. “Check out the scepter, guys. Do you think that’s your stone, Raph?”

Curled around the scepter was a vicious looking viper. It’s head extended above the top of the scepter, where it was posed to strike. In it’s fangs glowed a clear stone with a white center. “Yes! That’s it!”

“Good job guys! You were right. They have this stone classified as a Clinohumite.” Don grinned as Mikey and Leo shared a high-three.

“Alright!” Mikey cheered. “Now we just got to get if from the museum! It sure was lucky it was here and not back in Greece!”

“Maybe it wasn’t luck after all.” Leo looked thoughtfully at the screen.

“What do ya mean?” Raph asked.

“Well, we’ve never had any problems with this Sab before.”

“I’ve never been trapped in this void before either! Get to the point!”

Leo rolled his eyes. “What I’m trying to say is that maybe he came with these artifacts when they came from Greece to be put on display here.”

Don frowned. “You’re thinking he staying near the scepter.”

Leo nodded. “It makes sense for him to want to be near the thing that could possibly destroy him.”

A touch of fear sprang into Donatello’s gaze. “Or it could be the source of his power.”

Leo grimaced. “We are going to have to be extremely careful when we retrieve it. Either way, I have a feeling we may be in for a fight tonight.” He glanced at the clock. “The museum doesn’t close until nine. We’ll have to wait until then to retrieve the scepter. Don, you keep working on the equipment. Mikey and I can get the firestone.”

“You ain’t goin’ without me!” Raph growled. He thought he’d already proved how useful he was, even in his current state.

Leo allowed a small smile. “Of course not. In the meantime, we’ve still got several hours before we can get into the museum. We’d better get some shut eye.” He eyed Don. “You think you’ll have this done by the time we get back?”

Don looked at the clock and his still unfinished project. He gave a firm nod. “Yes.”

Leo set the communicator on Don’s desk and patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Good.” He shot his youngest brother a look as he headed out of the lab. “Get some sleep, Mikey.”

“I will.” Mikey waited until Leo was gone before turning to Donnie. “Eat something, bro. You’ll be no use to any of us, if you pass out.”

Don couldn’t stop the smile. “I’m fine, Mikey. Don’t worry. I promise to eat something, okay?”

Mikey grinned. “Great! See ya when I get up!” He glanced at the communicator. “Night, Raph. Hang in there, bro.”

“Night, Mikey!” Raph called as his orange banded brother headed for the stairs.

Don looked around him for a moment. “You going to hang out with me?”

“Yeah, but I’ll be quiet.”

Don smirked. “Fine, just don’t touch anything.”

Raph folded his arms and snorted. “Very funny. Don’t worry. I think I’ve learned my lesson this time.”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Raph watched as Leo clipped the wire to the alarm and lifted the skylight window. The wires had been just where Donnie had told him they would be. The leader checked below one more time to be sure the guard was not around before dropping the rope into the center of the large room. Mikey slipped silently down behind him. Raph jumped or rather floated down beside them.

Mikey looked around the room. "So, where's this statue?"

Leo spotted it first. Set along one of the side walls was a rather mundane display. Leo pointed at the bust of Sabazios."There."

Mikey grimaced as they approached. "Man, this thing is even uglier in person. And what's with all the snakes! That's just weird!"

Ignoring both his brother and the statue, Leo moved towards their true objective. The scepter, unlike the bust, was incased in glass. Pulling a small tanto from his belt he etched the glass. "Mikey, keep an eye out for the guard."

The younger turtle was drawn from his musing of what Sab might really look like by Leo's reminder that they were still on a mission. "On it." He moved silently to the doorway and peered out. There was no one in sight. They were good for now.

While Mikey silently kept watch, Raph was holding his breath as Leo carefully removed a section of the glass container without setting off an alarm. But when he reached for the scepter, Raph's voice crackled over the communicator. "Be careful, bro. That could make this place go nuts."

Leo didn't bother with a response, instead he reached for it one more time. This time he was startled to a stop by a shout over the communicator followed by a raspy foreign voice.

When Leo had started to reach for the scepter the second time, a form had shot out of the wall beside the display. Raph had barely enough time to register the creature as Sab, before it slammed its head into his chest. He wasn’t able to prevent the cry of surprise and pain as the force threw him across the room.

"That does not belong to you, turtle! And I will not let you possess it!"

Raph rubbed his chin where the top of Sab's head had made contact. "And how you gonna stop us!"

Leo grasped the communicator, turning down the volume. He scanned the room, his heart thundering in his chest. "Raph?"

"Leo! Get the scepter! I'll handle Sab!" Raph pulled his sai and lunged at the snake-like creature.

Realizing that somehow Raphael was able to speak to his brothers, Sab hissed loudly. "If you lay one filthy finger on my scepter, I will ensure there will be nothing left of your brother to retrieve!"

Leo tensed. He'd seen this creature attack his brother once before. If Sab was able to bite him in reality would it kill him? He glanced up at Mikey, who looked back at him with a concerned expression.

Raph saw Leo hesitate and he growled. "Don't listen to him, Fearless! Just grab the scepter so we can get out of here!"

Sab laughed, making that horrible noise. "You forget. I know where you live, little turtle."

Leo stared indecisively at the communicator for another moment.

"Leo!" Mikey suddenly hissed from the doorway. "The guard!"

The decision had been made for him. Leo spun and grabbed the scepter from where it sat inside the case. A sharp gasp left him as what felt like a small shock went through his body. He spun back around at the sound of Raphael's battle cry and let out a second gasp. Two shadows engaged each other in the center of the room. Although there were no details to be seen, only grayish figures moving swiftly about, he instinctively knew which was his brother. Raph's "shadow" charged at the slender whiff of gray, which darted away only to turn and dive back at him from above. Mikey suddenly interrupted the phantom battle as he darted through the two shadows.

"Leo! The guard's coming!" He tugged at Leo's arm, but the older turtle couldn't take his gaze from the two shadows battling before him.

Raph swung his sai, catching Sab along his side. The creature hissed angrily and swept his long spiked tail about, knocking Raph to the ground. Once again, Sab dove at the ninja, but this time with every intention of digging his long fangs deep into the turtle's flesh.

Raph looked up in time to see Sab mere inches from him. _This is gonna hurt!_ But the bite never happened. Instead, Sab shrieked in pain and vanished. Raph blinked up at Leo as the spark of white light subsided.

Leo had seen the battle unfold and did what he always did when it came to his brothers, he'd reacted to protect Raph. He'd rushed forward with the scepter extended to block the wisp of a shadow. As the ensuing howl echoed over the communicator, Leo realized he'd managed to somehow injure Sab. But he didn't have time to ponder this as the steady footsteps of the guard, which had been approaching the room, suddenly broke into a run.

When the guard rushed through the door and shined his flashlight into the room, he initially thought it was empty. He scratched his head. "Huh, I must be imagining things." Then he spotted the empty case across the room. Flipping on the lights, he approached the display. "Oh, boy. I'm in trouble."

On the roof, Leo quietly closed the skylight. Mikey stared at him. "What the shell was that!"

Raph's voice suddenly came from the communicator. "Thanks, Leo. You really saved my hide just then. How'd ya know what Sab was gonna do?"

Leo looked down at the scepter in his hand and then back at the shadowy form of his lost brother. "I could see you."

Raph stared at him in shock. "What!"

"You can see Raph!" Mikey was equally as shocked.

Leo started for the edge of the building as sirens wailed in the distance. "Well, sort of. You just look kind of like a gray blob." He glanced at the shadow of Raphael again. "What happened to Sab?"

"You sent 'im away. Probably back to the other dimension. Least that's what happened when that mystic hit me with his firestone. It sent me home."

They were several rooftops away when Mikey suddenly stopped. "I wanna see him!"

Leo stopped to turn and look at him blankly. "Who?"

Mikey snorted. "I wanna see Raph too!"

Leo looked down at the scepter and gave a slow nod. "Okay, but it's got a bit of a sting to it."

Mikey grinned as he took hold of the scepter. A small shock tingled up his arm and he stared at the object until it stopped.

"Just don't drop it, klutz!" Raph snapped.

Mikey jumped back at the sudden shadow that appeared in front of him. He squealed falling on his bottom. Both Raph and Leo laughed at his expense. He glared up at the shadow. "That's so not funny, bro!" Then he smiled. "But it is good to see you, even if you are just a gray blob."

Mikey's eyes widen as Raph crouched down to get right in his face. "I'll show you gray blob when I get back!"

Somehow even in his phantom form, Raph was still intimidating. Mikey grinned sheepishly at him and let out a small nervous chuckle. "Sheesh, I see being trapped in that void hasn't improved your personality at all."

"Why you little-!" Raph swung at him, but of course it made no impact. Mikey snickered and stuck out his tongue.

Leo cleared his throat gaining their attention. "Speaking of getting back. We need to get home. We don't want Sab to beat us back. Don and Master Splinter are there alone."

"Yeah, and they can't see Sab or Raph." Mikey took the hand Leo offered him up. His brother took the scepter from him.

"Let's move!"


	10. Open Door

Don set the two nodules in an open space near his lab that was large enough to allow Raph to pass through unhindered. He frowned at the teleporter in his hand. Several wires curled out from it. One to each nodule and a third that was plugged into an control board which in turned was hooked into the main electrical box. A large amount of energy was necessary to trigger the same phenomenon that had occurred before. That meant if this didn’t work or if Raph didn’t get through quickly enough, the circuits could be fried just like the first one. It was a depressing scenario, as the result would be no more transporters. He hadn’t seen a second one at Foot Headquarters, which would mean they’d have to get another from the Triceratons. That could mean weeks, if not months, before they could try again to release Raphael from the void.

For this reason, Don was planning to be extremely cautious. He would increase the voltage slowly until the point it triggered the molecular stabilizer, but before it melted the tech. He checked everything over one more time as the door to the lair opened, and Leo and Mikey entered. His gaze locked on the scepter in his elder brother’s hand. “You got it!”

“Yeah, we only had a little trouble.” Leo explained as they joined him near the two nodules.

“Says you.” Raph grouched over the communicator.

Don raised an eye-ridge and Mikey chuckled. “Raph’s just mad because he’s a gray blob.”

“Huh?” Don shook his head. “Never mind. Let me see the scepter.”

Leo extended it to him. “Careful, it’s got a little shock to it.”

Don nodded, taking the staff and feeling the tingle run through his body. He examined the stone in the viper’s mouth. “Fascinating, some type of energy source perhaps.”

“That’s real interestin’ and all, but what I wanna know is will it really kill Sab?”

Don lifted his gaze from the staff and gasped at the sight of the shadow standing between Leo and Mikey, who exchanged an amused look. “Raph, is that you?”

“Yeah, genius.”

Don’s eyes lit up with excitement. “That’s incredible! This stone must have some unbelievable properties! I wish I had a chance to study it!”

“Don,” Leo said calmly, placing a hand on his shoulder to gain his attention, “later, okay. Have you had time to finish the equipment?”

He nodded, gesturing to the two apparatuses. “Everything is set. I’m going to increase to voltage slowly in the hopes it won’t fry the circuitry this time. But prolonged exposure to a high electrical charge could also cause damage to the Triceraton transporter.” He turned back to his brothers to pin Raph’s shadow with his gaze. “Which means, I’m not going to be able to hold the door open for long. You’ll need to pass between these two frequency enhancers quickly.”

“How long will he have?” Leo hoped they wouldn’t have to deal with Sabazios, but the likelihood was too high that he was going to show.

“Two minutes max.” Don frowned. “I can try to keep the doorway stable after that, but there’s no guarantee.”

“What ain’t ya sayin’, Donnie?” Raph could tell his brother was holding something back.

“This may be our only shot at this. If this transporter is destroyed, we don’t have any more. We’d have to get another from the Triceratons which could take a long time. In that time you may phase even further out of our dimension. And if that happens, I don’t know if we’ll be able to get you back.”

Leo set his jaw in determination. “Then we’d better do this right the first time. Raph, is there any sign of Sab?”

Raphael looked around the lair. He didn’t see the snake-like creature hiding anywhere. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t close. “Right now I don’t.”

“Then we should do this before he returns.” Leo took a step towards Donatello with the intention of taking the scepter.

But his brother put up a hand. “How do you plan on killing Sab with the stone as it is now?”

Leo frowned. “Well, it hurt him in the museum.”

“But if he comes through the portal when I do, hittin’ ‘im with that thing ain’t gonna do much.” Raph pointed out. Donnie examined the scepter for a long moment, turning to view how the stone was set in the serpent’s mouth.

“What are you s-? Donnie!” But before Leo could finish his thought, Don slammed the scepter into the floor. The viper’s head shattered and the stone rolled free.

Mikey snickered. “Man, and you guys complain about me breaking stuff.”

“I had to break it, to free the firestone. The scepter itself isn’t important. It was just made of bronze.” Don picked up the stone. This time the shock wave was a little more severe, but nothing he couldn’t handle. He was more surprised by Raph, who’d knelt down near him. His brother was more visible now. No longer just a gray blob, actual features could be seen. The trepidation in Raphael’s face, tore at Don’s heart. “It’ll be alright.”

Raph gave a small nod. “What’re ya gonna do with it now?” Even Raph’s voice seemed clearer.

Don looked down at the stone. It was nearly six inches in length and came to a fine point at the ends. “Make it more useful as a weapon.” He stood and fetched his bo, where he’d left it nearby. Taking a roll of electrical tape, he affixed it to the end of the bo effectively creating a spear. He noted that when he handed the spear over to Leo, Raph’s image had faded back to a shadowy gray shape. Apparently the stone was more powerful when one was in direct contact with it. “I think it’s going to be very unwise to allow Sabazios to get his hands on that stone. It’s very likely it will increase his power.”

“Then we shall make certain such a thing does not occur.” Splinter crossed the room to stand near Leo. “If our enemy is not here, then this may be our best opportunity to retrieve Raphael.”

Leo nodded. “I agree.”

Don picked up the Triceraton transporter and switched it on, before reaching for the small control board that would regulate the voltage. “Ready Raph?”

“I’m more than ready to get out this place.” Raphael’s disembodied voice replied.

Donnie didn’t wait for further confirmation. The quicker this was done the better. He flipped the main switch, bringing the voltage quickly up to normal ranges. Then with more caution he began to steadily increase it. There was no way to know at exactly what level the power surge had originally triggered the teleporter. But Don had an educated guess of the range and just as he’d predicted when the level reached three-hundred-ten volts it opened the doorway.

Mikey eyed the two nodules that seemed to be spitting sparks at one another. “Donnie?”

“It’s fine, Mikey. Raph, let’s give this a try. Just take it slow and let me know if you don’t feel right.” Don watched his control board for any sign of trouble.

Raph moved towards the nodules. “Don’t feel right? Don, I’m a freakin’ ghost right now!”

“Raph, move it!” Leo snapped. “We don’t want Sab finding out what we’re up to!”

But it was already too late. A shriek ripped through the lair. Raph spun around in time to raise his sai and prevent Sab’s sharp teeth from digging into his shoulder. He growled, glaring into Sab’s yellow eyes. “Come to tell me goodbye? I appreciate it, but I’d rather you hadn’t!”

Leo took a step forward as he saw the attack unfold. “Raph! No!”

Sab whipped his spiked tail around trying to through Raph off his feet again. But the ninja had already seen that trick and anticipated it. He jumped back and the spikes sliced across his leg instead. He let out a growl of pain.

The creature let out a bone chilling laugh. “I warned you not to cross me, turtle.”

Mikey took a step forward. “Hurry up, Raph!”

Sab turned his gaze on the portal and with a swish of his tail shot towards it. Raph dove at him. “Oh, no you don’t, slimy!” He gasped as Sab’s head whipped around like that of a snake and his fangs sank into his forearm. “Ah!” Raph couldn’t keep his grip as fire raced through his veins. He stumbled, falling to the ground mere inches from the portal.

Sab cackled in victory as he flew through the doorway. The others gasped as the black scaly creature appeared and began flying about the lair, making a shrieking noise which one could only classify as joy. “At last! I am free!”

“Uh, oh…” Mikey glanced from Sab to the portal. “Raph!” No response came from the communicator.

Leo stared half in shock at the shadow of his brother not moving just past the frequency enhancers. His eyes narrowed and he growled, glaring up at Sab. “What did you do!”

Sab swooped down to float a few feet away. His gray tongue shot out and somehow managed an amused expression through his grotesque features. “He should have heeded my warning.” His amusement fell away as he spotted his broken scepter. His mouth opened displaying his sharp fangs. “You will regret that!”

Leo swung the spear up. “No, you’re going to regret attacking our brother!” He jumped at Sab, but the serpent was too quick. It easily dodged the turtle’s blow.

“And that belongs to me!” Sab roared as his body began to expand.

Donnie gasped as he came to stand near Leo with his spare bo. “He’s a shape shifter!”

Splinter appeared on Leo’s other side. “We must not allow him to take possession of the firestone!”

Before their eyes, Sab transformed from a creature barely five feet in length to a giant beast that nearly touched the roof of the new lair. Horns jutted out from the pointed muzzle and four large legs with clawed feet sprang from his slender body. His tail grew in length and razor sharp barbs with jagged edges appeared along it. From the beast’s shoulders two massive wings appeared. They clutched their ears as the beast threw its head back and let out a roar that was no doubt heard on the surface.

Mikey stared up at it, his mouth hanging open and eyes as wide as they could get. “So, Sab is a huge hideously ugly terrifying dragon!”

The beast looked down at him. “This is my truest form, little turtle!” He thrashed his tail, crushing the couch and shattering the television.

Mikey clutched his head in panic. “Ah! The TV!” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the nodules flicker. “Ah, shell! Raph!”

“Mikey! No!” Don’s cry of protest was a heartbeat too late as without thinking Mikey dove through the portal.

While in the outside world his brothers and father began battling the gigantic creature, Mikey found Raph just inside the portal. He lay in a heap, his body trembling all over. “Raph! Bro, are you alright?”

Raphael cracked open an eye. “Mikey? What are ya doin’? Ya shouldn’t be here.”

Mikey quickly crouched down and pulled his brother’s arm over his shoulder. “You can yell at me later. Right now, we need to get you out of here.”

Raph groaned as he was pulled to his feet. Every movement sent waves of pain through his entire body. “Leave me. Ya gotta get out before the door closes.”

Mikey pulled his arm further over his shoulder and turned them towards the portal. “No way, bro. No turtle left behind, remember?” Taking a deep breath and hoping that this wouldn’t scramble their molecules or disintegrate them, Mikey pulled his brother to safety only moments before the Triceraton teleporter exploded. He turned their shells towards it in time to shield them from the small blast. Behind them the nodules sparked one last time and went quiet. Mikey stumbled forward, bearing the majority of his larger brother’s weight. “Master Splinter!”

Across the lair the old rat dodge a large clawed foot and dashed in their direction. He gasped at the sight of his son as he reached them. “Raphael!” He frowned, his ears flattening. “My son…”

Donatello suddenly gave a cry as he was smashed against the ceiling by Sab’s large rock hard head. He’d attempted to get above him with the hopes of taking out an eye or at least causing some major damage. Sab had spotted him though and caught him in mid-air smashing him shell first into the roof.

“Donnie!” Leo watched helplessly as he brother began to tumble through the air. He tried to rush forward in an attempt to at least break his fall but Sab’s tail bore down on him. Gasping, he attempted to dodge only for it to catch his shoulder, leaving a large gash in its wake. Several feet away Don landed with a thud.

“Michelangelo, help your brothers. I will tend to Raphael.”

Mikey needed no more encouragement as he darted across the space, nunchakus already twirling. Splinter watched for a moment as he engaged the large creature, drawing his attention away from his injured brothers. As Leonardo rejoined the fray, the rat turned his attention back on the son half cradled in his arms. “Raphael, what has happened?”

“Sensei…” Raph ground his teeth. “He bit me.” Splinter noted the two rather large holes in Raphael’s forearm. “It hurts like shell.”

Splinter frowned. “He must posses some type of venom.” He racked his mind for an antidote that would cure such a poison.

Don sat up and rubbed his head. Gasping, he rolled aside just in time for one large foot to come crashing down on the spot he’d vacated. Eyes wide, he watched as Mikey sprang about the lair, while Sab lifted a clawed forelimb and swatted at him as if he were a gnat. Between the two they were wreaking havoc on the lair’s interior.

Leo suddenly landed beside him. “You alright?”

Don nodded, coming to his feet. “Yeah, but the lair won’t be if this continues.”

Leo frowned down at the spear in his hand and then to where Splinter knelt beside Raphael. “We need to end this quickly.”

Mikey suddenly let out a cry of surprise as flames shot from Sab’s mouth. He landed beside his brothers rubbing a spot on his leg where the fire had gotten a little too close for comfort. “Guys, I could really use some help here!”

“Don, where do you think his heart is?”

The genius eyed the creature as they all scattered avoiding the onslaught of the dragon’s breath. A moment later they regrouped. “Based on his skeletal structure, I’d say it’s right between his front legs.”

Leo’s gaze narrowed. “Mikey distract him. Don get above him again, make him look up.” The two charged off to do as their leader instructed. Leo waited until Sab’s attention was on his brothers then raced forward. But as soon as he moved to jab the firestone into the creature’s chest, he was discovered. Sab’s foreleg crashed down on him. The bo snapped in half and the top rolled away from him. Above him, Sab’s body changed into that of a giant black crow and he swooped down to grasp the staff. “No! The firestone!”

Mikey snatched the broken bo from the ground just in time. He brought it up intending to catch Sab in his now feathered chest. But once again Sab was too fast. His body morphed once more into that of a giant black wolf. “Ah!” Mikey dove to the side to avoid the sharp teeth that snap the air where he’d been standing.

Raphael suddenly went deathly still in Splinter’s arms. “Raphael!” Splinter tried his best to rouse him but to no avail. His breathing was shallow and quick. “Leonardo! You must destroy that creature now or I fear Raphael will not survive much longer!”

Leo’s eyes narrowed as Splinter’s urgent call reached him. He growled. “Mikey! The spear!”

Michelangelo was busy leading the giant wolf on a wild game of chase, which was clearly infuriating Sab. Using his massive body, he charged the young turtle slamming him into the wall. He stepped back to watch with satisfaction as Mikey slide to the floor unconscious. Only then did he notice the spear was gone. This time he was not fast enough to avoid Leo as the spear was plunged into his side. Sab recoiled with a howl of pain as the firestone left a gaping wound in his side.

Leo jumped back out of range as Sab spun on him and launched himself at the leader. Donnie charged forward to keep the beast at bay with a blow to its large head. “You hurt him! But it wasn’t deep enough!”

Leo grunted. “Thanks, Don! I didn’t notice!”

A large paw suddenly hit Donnie from the side, sending him careening into the same wall as Mikey. He fell to his knees with a groan, clutching his head. Alone now, Leo backed away from the slobbering snarling creature as it circled him.

“Give me the firestone!”

“That’s not going to happen!” Leo found himself backed into the same corner as his brothers.

Looming over them with bared teeth and hot breath, Sab laughed. “You no longer have a choice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to make art of Sab or for this story, let me know on DA with a note. I'll be sure to share it and make it a chapter header there.


	11. Second Chances

Leo pulled a katana with his free hand. He had no idea if his blade would even injure the monster before him, but he was not going down without a fight. With all three of his brothers down, his situation was more than desperate. A familiar battle cry came from above a split-second before Splinter landed on the creature’s back. “Stay away from my sons!” He drove his walking stick into Sab’s back between his shoulder blades.

Sab shrieked and bucked throwing the rat from his back. Leo watched in astonishment as the walking stick fell to the ground as Sab became a puff of smoke. A moment later he had reformed into his dragon shape. But the turtle didn’t fail to notice the large gash right between his front legs, exactly where Donnie had said his heart should be. A clawed foot shot out and swatted at the old rat sending him rolling right under Sab’s chest.

“Master Splinter!” Thinking fast, Leo threw the spear. Splinter caught it and buried it deep into the dragon’s chest. A horrific noise filled the chamber. Leo, Don and Splinter clutched their ears and the walls around them shook. Then just like that Sab disintegrated into millions of speckles of glowing embers. The firestone, which had come off the end of the makeshift spear, fell to the ground and rolled a few inches. The light inside it flickered for a moment and nearly went out.

Splinter picked up the stone as Leo sheathed his sword. Turning towards his brothers, he pressed a hand to the large gash on his arm. “You okay, Donnie?”

Rubbing his doubly sore head, he blinked a few times to clear his fuzzy vision. “Yeah.”

“What about Mikey?”

Don reached out to touched Mikey’s shoulder. “Mikey wake up?”

There was a long pause before the youngest brother blinked his eyes open. “Man, what hit me?”

“That would be Sabazios.” Don reminded him.

Leo knelt near him. “You okay?”

Mikey rubbed a hand across the back of his head. “Swell, other than a pounding headache.”

Donnie frowned at the blood running down Leo’s arm. “That wound is pretty bad. We need to stop the bleeding.”

Leo shook his head as he stood. “No, I don’t need help right now. Raph does.” Don and Mikey followed him across the room to where Splinter already knelt beside their hot-headed brother. “How is he, Sensei?”

Splinter shook his head with a distraught expression. “Not good.” The three gathered around as Raph took in one struggling breath after another.

“What happened to him?” Don knelt across from Splinter and placed a hand on Raphael’s brow.

“He told me that Sab had bitten him.” Splinter indicated the puncture wounds on Raph’s arm, which were turning black.

“But Sab’s gone, right? Shouldn’t that make Raph better?”

The others exchanged worried looks. It didn’t appear as though Sab’s presence had anything to do with the venom now coursing through Raphael’s body. Leo clenched his fists. “We haven’t come this far to lose him now!”

Splinter lowered his head and rested a hand on Raph’s plastron. “I know of no way to cure such a terrible poison. This is far beyond my ability to heal.”

Mikey was freaking out. “But we have to do something!”

Donnie looked up. “The firestone? Where is it?”

Splinter opened his other hand to reveal the stone. “It is here, but it seems its power is greatly reduced.”

Don took the firestone from their father and frowned at it. The fire inside that had burned so brightly was dim. But it still burned. “Maybe I can give it a little boost with my control board.” He stood and made his way to where he’d tossed aside the panel earlier. “Like recharging a battery. Earlier when I was examining it, it reminded me of a power source.”

Leo frowned down at Raph and took his hand. “Whatever you’re doing, make it fast.”

Donatello turned off the voltage and removed the wires from the ruined Triceraton transporter, quickly trimming away the burnt ends. With the skill of a practiced electrician, he wired a receptor to each end of the stone in mere seconds. Taking up the control board again, he slowly increased the voltage until the stone began to glow brightly again.

Mikey gripped Raph’s other hand. It felt like his brother was burning up from the inside out. “Come on, Raph. You gotta hang in there. You want to go through on all those threats you made to me, don’t you?”

Donnie hurried back with the freshly charged firestone. He looked at his family with a hesitant gaze. “I have no idea if this is going to work.” They all gave nods of understanding. Taking Raph’s arm, Don pressed the tip of the stone into the puncture wound on his arm. The reaction was immediate. Raphael began to thrash. “Hold him still!”

“Donnie! What’s happening!” Leo demanded.

Still gripping the stone in one hand and trying to keep Raphael still with the other, Don could see the blackish layer which had settled over his brother begin to fade. “It’s working! Just keep holding him!”

Raph suddenly gave a cry of pain and sucked in a deep breath. After a few more moments, his eyes fluttered open. “Let go of me!” The words were half garbled but they made a collective sigh of relief escape his family.

Leo looked up at Don. “Is it gone?”

Still clutching the firestone, which was quickly fading in power now, Don made certain he couldn’t see the dark layer of poison any longer. Finally, he sat back pulling the tip from Raph’s wound. “It’s gone.”

Raph blinked a few times, a bit more aware of his surroundings now. “Hey, guys.”

Splinter smiled, stroking a hand across his son’s brow. “Welcome back, my son. We have dearly missed you.”

Raph’s eyes remained at half-mast. “Yeah, me too.”

Leo frowned. “You sound tired.”

Mikey snorted. “Bro, he was just trapped in a void for days, then bit by some kind of serpent god-thing and nearly died! I’m just tired thinking about it!”

Leo gave a small chuckle. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” His gaze shifted back to Raph. “Can you move?” Raph gave a small nod and the four helped him to his feet. Don pulled one of his arms over his shoulders, while Leo did the same on the other side.

Still half in a daze, Raph stared around the lair. “Whoa, did you guys let Mikey decorate?”

Mikey pouted. “Hey! No way! This is all thanks to your good buddy, Sab!”

Raph tensed at the name and Leo hurried to reassure him. “Don’t worry. He’s gone for good.”

As Raph’s weight settled back on their shoulders, Don turned them towards the stairs. “Mikey, could you find the first aid kit?”

Mikey made a face. “But-“

Splinter placed a warm hand on his arm. “It is alright, Michelangelo. I will find it. You may go with your brothers.”

“Thanks, Sensei!” Mikey grinned and hurried up the stairs after his brothers.

Leo nudged Raph’s door open with his foot and they settled their brother into his hammock. Raph laid back with a heavy sigh. “Hey, Don.”

Donnie put a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah?”

“I’m never rescuin’ the toaster again.”

A round of chuckles went through the room.  Leo smiled. “In that case, I promise never to break one again.”

Raph cracked open an eye to glare at him. “Don’t make promises ya can’t keep, Frearless.”

Splinter appeared in the doorway with clean bandages and first aid supplies. “I must agree with Raphael on that point.” He said with a sparkle in his eye. Donnie took some bandages and anti-septic and began wrapping Raphael’s wounds, while Splinter made quick work of Leonardo’s. “The last few days have trying ones for all of us. A good night’s rest is in order.” He placed a hand on Raph’s shoulder. “Sleep well, Raphael.” He turned and ushered Mikey and Don from the room.

Leo started to leave, but paused just inside the door. “It’s good to have you back, Raph.” As he pulled the door closed, he almost missed the soft reply.

“Thanks, bro.”

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Mikey paced back and forth across his room. He knew Splinter had sent them to bed and Raph really did need rest, but he couldn’t help the anxious worry pooling in his gut. What if the venom wasn’t really gone? What if something happened to Raph while they were all asleep? What he needed something? What if he didn’t fully phase back into their dimension? What if…? He let out a frustrated groan. He was not going to sleep tonight, not with all these thoughts rattling around inside his head! Frowning, he cracked open his door to scope out the hall along the bedrooms.  Silently he slipped out and down to Raph’s door. 

He blinked in surprise to see Leo settled against the wall closest to Raph’s hammock. The older turtle allowed a small smile to cross his face. Leo beckoned him in with a small wave and then pointed to the side. Leaning against the wall opposite from Raph was Donnie, his head laid against the only bookshelf in the room. Mikey smirked. It seemed he wasn’t the only one that couldn’t sleep without knowing Raph was alright. Closing the door behind him, he approached the hammock.

Raph was sleeping soundly. He was even snoring, completely unaware of his company. Mikey’s smile broadened and he settled against the wall across from Leo. He had a sneaky feeling this type of midnight meeting would gone on for several days, maybe even weeks. It seemed none of them was willing to let Raphael out of their sight, not after not being able to see him for so long.

Another hour passed when the door cracked open once more. Splinter smiled at the sight of all four of his sons scattered about Raphael’s room. They all slept, peaceful expressions adorning their faces. The old rat’s smile grew a bit. Raphael was in good hands and so he closed the door, leaving him under his brothers’ watch.

&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

Raph sat up in his hammock and yawned. He felt a lot better than he had the night before. His stomach growled loudly. Well, it seemed his body was back to normal functions as well. Another sensation hit him and his swung his legs over the edge of the hammock about to make his way to the bathroom, but he stopped just short of stepping on Michelangelo. That’s when he noticed his room was rather crowded. Leo and Don were sleeping against two of the walls, while Mikey was have spread across the floor.

Normally he wouldn’t like the intrusion into his room. And they all knew it. But this time was different. _They were worried about me_. A warmth blossomed in his chest and a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. _I wonder if that’s why I slept so well, ‘cause they were here with me._ He realized with a touch of surprise that he’d done the same thing while stuck in that void. He’d sought them each out, wanting to be near them, and seeking comfort from their presence. He hadn’t tried to seek solitude once, even though it had been what he was finally given. Peace and quiet and a chance to be completely on his own. Frowning, he shook his head. He didn’t want that anymore, not after seeing what his “death” had done to his family.

Raph’s gut made another protest and he silently lowered himself from the hammock, stepped around Mikey, and made for the door. With practiced ease he opened it without a sound and slipped down the hall to the bathroom.

A little while later, Mikey sat up and stretched. He looked about the room, finding both Don and Leo still asleep. Then he spotted the empty hammock. A wave of sheer panic took over. “Raph!”

All three turtles were on their feet in less than a second. Leo and Don exchanged a quick look, both spotting the open door. “It’s alright, Mikey. I’m sure Raph is here somewhere.” Don tried to reassure him.

Terror was evident in the younger turtle’s face. “But what if he’s not! What if something happened to him! And we were all asleep!”

Leo caught one of his shoulders. “I’m sure he just slipped out of the room to-.” A sound from down the walkway completed Leo’s explanation and Mikey sprinted out of the room.

Raphael was surprised when he opened the bathroom door and Mikey practically tackled him, wrapping him in a tight embrace. “Mikey, what the…” He frowned, feeling his brother tremble.

“You’re okay!” Mikey held on a little tighter. Leo and Don appeared from Raph’s room. Leo wore a slightly amused expression, while Donnie frowned a bit.

Raph sighed. Maybe it hadn’t been such a bright idea to slip out on them. He returned the warm embrace. “Yeah, Mikey. I’m fine. I promise.” Both Leo and Don grinned as they reached the two. “Okay, that’s enough, numbskull. Don’t make me hurt ya.” Raph gently pried his younger brother from him.

“I can’t say I blame him.” Leo put a hand on Raph’s shoulder with a broad smile. “It’s good to see you up and about.”

“Yeah, you had us pretty worried last night.” Don said from beside Mikey. “How are you feeling?”

“Back to normal, I guess.” Raph looked at Mikey’s still distraught expression. “Actually, I’m stravin’.”

Mikey lit up. “One mega breakfast coming up!” He grabbed Raph’s uninjured arm and dragged him towards the kitchen. Don and Leo laughed, following at a much slower pace.

Raph settled into his normal chair at the table as Mikey began bouncing about the room. He had just cracked three eggs into a pan, when Raph finally spoke. “Say, Mikey, do ya think…I could have one?”

Mikey turned to look at him in confusion. “One what, bro?”

“One of your drawin’s.”

Mikey’s eyes widened and the biggest dopiest grin crossed his face. “Absolutely!”

Donnie stepped into the doorway and took his chair next to Raph. “I thought you might want this.” He placed something smooth into Raph’s hand.

Looking down, Raphael found the firestone in his palm. Its center, which had glowed like a small sun, was now dark. “Thanks.”

Donnie slipped an arm around his shoulders giving him a sideways hug. “We missed you, Raph.”

Raph let out a heavy sigh. “I know ya did. I missed you guys too.” He lifted his eyes to meet his genius brother’s. “And I’m sorry.”

Don frowned. “I am too.” The both smiled and nothing more was said of it.

Splinter’s ears twitched as he entered the kitchen with Leonardo. “Raphael, I am pleased to see you looking well.” He sat down on Raphael’s other side. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“A lot better.”

Splinter smiled as he placed a warm hand on his arm. “We are all so grateful to have you back safely, my son.”

Raph smiled as well. “So am I. It’s good to be back.”

After breakfast everyone headed out to start cleaning the lair. But Leo hung back a moment with Raph. They stopped in the kitchen door. Raph eyed his brother. “Ya got somethin’ to say?” He half expected a lecture from Leo about everything that had happened. But the eyes he turned on Raph were anything but accusing.

There was a long pause before he spoke. “We need you, Raph. Maybe more than I ever realized. I know sometimes we have our differences and we argue. But the main reason I get upset with you is, well, because I care about you. You’re my brother, Raph.” He took a step forward and wrapped him in a tight embrace. “And I’ll never stop carrying about what happens to you.”

For a split-second Raph tensed at the unexpected hug, then he relaxed into his brother returning the embrace. “Thanks for not givin’ up on me.”

Leo stepped back with a guilty frown. “But I did.”

Raph shook his head. “No, ya didn’t. Not really. You didn’t believe I was gone even when everything and everyone was tellin’ ya I was. It meant a lot to me.”

Leo smiled. “Come on, we better help clean up.”

Raph wasn’t surprised that for the remainder of the day he was never alone. One of his brothers or his father was always nearby. They were constantly talking to him and asking questions. Normally he would have balked at so much attention, but he knew it wouldn’t last forever. And right now, he was enjoying their company as much as they were his. He was getting a second chance and he planned to make the most of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm making this my Writer Nexus End Year Challenge entry. Go read all the fabulous works and vote on DA! Thank you all for showing this little fic so much love! Have a very merry Christmas and super New Year!


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